Bothriochloa erianthoides (F. Muell.) C.
E. Hubbard. Bull. Misc. Inform. 444 (1934).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Micraireae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Andropogon
erianthoides F. Muell., Fragm. 10: 75 (1876).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: ST: Dr. Wuth s.n., no date, Australia:
Springsure (W; IST: US-76245 (fragm. ex W)). ST: Dr. Woolls s.n.,
Australia: In tractibus Maneroo ST: Dr. Leichhardt s.n., Australia:
Darling's Downs.
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (529 as Andropogon
erianthoides), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia, [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses
of New South Wales (168).
Illustrations:
[1983] J.C.Tothill & J.B.Hacker, Grasses of Southern Queensland
(128(1)), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of
New South Wales, 4th edn (168).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 80–150 cm tall. Mid-culm
nodes glabrous. Lateral branches simple or sparsely branched. Leaf-sheaths
glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane, 1.5–4 mm
long, obtuse. Leaf-blades 7–30 cm long, 5–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth,
glabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence digitate, with ramose branches. Racemes 6–10 cm long. Central
inflorescence axis 0.7–1 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Companion spikelets pedicelled, 1 in the
cluster. Companion spikelets represented by single glumes, 3–4 mm long. 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, lanceolate or oblong, dorsally compressed, 7–8 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, chartaceous,
without keels, 9–18 -nerved. Lower glume surface indumented. Upper glume
lanceolate, keeled, 1-keeled. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, barren,
without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret hyaline.
Fertile lemma without
keel, 3 -nerved. Lemma surface indumented. Lemma apex lobed, awned, 1 -awned.
Median (principal) awn from a sinus, 16–18 mm long overall, without a column.
Palea present. Anthers 3. Grain 3–3.5 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland, New South Wales.
Queensland:
Burke, Darling Downs, Leichhardt, Maranoa, North Kennedy, Port Curtis, Warrego,
Wide Bay, South Kennedy. New South Wales: North-Western Slopes,
North-Western Plains.
Notes. Found on
clay soils of the western plains and slopes of the Gt Divide in central to
southern Qld and northern N.S.W (rare). Regarded as an excellent drought
resistant fodder grass but it has now been eaten out from areas it once
occupied. Flowers Dec.--Sept.
