Apluda mutica L. Sp. Pl. 82
(1753).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: India:, (LT: LINN-1213.1).
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (544),
[1980] M.Lazarides, Tropical Grasses S.E.Asia (19), [2002] D.Sharp &
B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia.
Derivation: L.
blunt. Lacking awns or lemmas and/or glumes truncate.
Habit.
Perennial. Culms decumbent or prostrate or sprawling, 30–300 cm tall. Mid-culm
nodes glabrous. Lateral branches branched. Ligule a fringed membrane, a
ciliolate membrane, 1–1.3 mm long, abaxially glabrous. Leaf-blades 3–25 cm
long, 1.5–10 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, composed of rames. Rhachis obsolete.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Companion spikelets pedicelled, 2 in the
cluster. Companion spikelets rudimentary or developed (pair unequal), male, 2–5
mm long. Companion spikelet glumes muticous. 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,
oblong, laterally compressed, 2–6 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate or ovate,
coriaceous, much thinner above, without keels or keeled, 2-keeled, winged on
keel, winged narrowly, 11–13 -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous. Upper glume
lanceolate, chartaceous or coriaceous, keeled, 1-keeled, 5–9 -nerved. Upper
glume surface glabrous. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, male, with
palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 90 % of length of spikelet, hyaline, 3
-nerved.
Fertile lemma 4 mm
long, without keel, 3 -nerved. Lemma apex entire or lobed, muticous or awned, 1
-awned. Median (principal) awn from a sinus, 4–12 mm long overall, without a
column or with a twisted column. Palea 0 -nerved, without keels.
Continental
Distribution: Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia, and Pacific.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland, Cocos Keeling Is, Ashmore Reef, Coral Sea Is.
Queensland:
Cook.
Notes. From
India through SE Asia to the Torres Strait, where one collection is known from Pandanus
woodland of Saibai Is.. Flowers July.
