Axonopus fissifolius* (Raddi) Kuhlm. Comm.
Linh. Telegr. Matto Grosso Amaz., Annexo 5 Bot.,11: 87 (1922).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Paspalum fissifolium
Raddi Agrostogr. Bras.26 (1823).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: G. Raddi s.n., no date, Brazil:
Guanabara: prope Rio de Janeiro (PI; IT: BM, FI, G-Delessert, US-2766195
(fragm. ex FI), US (fragm. ex FI)).
Recent synonyms:
A. affinis.
Key references
(books and floras): [1969] E.E.Henty, Manual Grasses New Guinea
(33 as A. affinis), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses
of Australia, [2002] J.Wheeler, N.Marchant & M.Lewington, Flora of the
South West (405 as A. affinis), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst,
F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (425), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs,
R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (16).
Illustrations:
[1984] N.T.Burbidge. rev. S.W.L.Jacobs, Australian Grasses (as A. affinis), [2006] J.Jessop,
G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (426, Fig. 356), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs,
R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn
(164).
Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes present, short. Stolons absent or present. Culms 10–60 cm
tall. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane.
Leaf-blades flat or conduplicate, 4.5–22 cm long, 1.5–7 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, with spicate branches. Racemes 2–4, 1.5–7 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile. 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, 1.6–2.1 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic, membranous, without keels,
2–5 -nerved. Upper glume surface indumented. Florets. Basal sterile
florets 1, barren, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 100
% of length of spikelet, 2–5 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 1.5–2 mm
long, without keel.
Continental
Distribution: Africa, Tropical Asia, Australasia, Pacific, North America,
and South America.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia,
Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Norfolk I.
Western Australia:
Menzies, Warren. South Australia: Southern Lofty. Queensland:
Cook, Darling Downs, Moreton, North Kennedy, Port Curtis, South Kennedy, Wide
Bay, Burnett. New South Wales: North Coast, Central Coast, South Coast,
Southern Tablelands. Victoria: East Gippsland, Gippsland Plain,
Midlands, Riverina.
Notes. Axonopus
fissifolius is morphologically similar to A. compressus. Both grow
well in disturbed waste areas and persist in dry periods.
Introduced; native to
the tropics of North America but now widely introduced. In tropical heaths,
tropical and subtropical wet sclerophyll forests, tropical and subtropical
sub-humid woodlands, and temperate sub-humid woodlands. Flowers sporadically
throughout the year.
