Setaria oplismenoides Herrm. Beitr.
Biol. Pflanzen. 10: 53 (1910).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australien: Nord-Küste, ohne Standortsangabe, Schomburgh
(HT: US).
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes present, short or elongated. Culms erect, 60–130 cm tall,
4–8 -noded. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 1–2 mm long.
Leaf-blades flat, 10–32 cm long, 4–10.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous,
glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle lanceolate, 18–37 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles. Fertile
spikelets 2-flowered, the lower floret barren (rarely male), the upper fertile,
comprising 1 basal sterile florets, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without
rachilla extension, elliptic, dorsally compressed, 2.3–2.7 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, membranous, without keels, 3–5
-nerved. Upper glume elliptic, 2–2.6 mm long, membranous, without keels, 7–9
-nerved. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, barren, without significant
palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 100 % of length of spikelet, membranous,
5–7 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 2.2–2.7
mm long, without keel. Lemma apex mucronate.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Northern Territory, Queensland.
Northern Territory: Darwin &
Gulf. Queensland:
Burke, North Kennedy, South Kennedy, Port Curtis, Leichhardt, Maranoa.
Notes.
Closely related to S. dielsii but differing in possessing a much longer
inflorescence, the shorter upper glume and the spikelets turgid and oblique on
the pedicels.
Specimens from Qld have a shorter main axis
and spikelets in tighter clusters; otherwise, they are identical to the coastal
form.
In tropical and
subtropical sub-humid woodlands, acacia shrublands, and arid tussock
grasslands. Flowers Feb.-June.
