Brachyachne ciliaris

Brachyachne ciliaris (Kuntze) C. E.
Hubbard. Bull. Misc. Inform. 448 (1934).

Classification.
(GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.

Basionym and/or
Replacement Name:
 Cynodon
ciliaris
Benth. Fl. Austral. 7: 610 (1878); Capriola ciliaris
Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 764 (1891).

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information
: Central Australia: Charlotte Waters, Giles s.n..

Key references
(books and floras):
[1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (610 as Cynodon
ciliaris
), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of Central
Australia
(466), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia
, [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South
Australia
(343), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses
of New South Wales
(170).

Illustrations:
[2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3 (Fig.
50B-E), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South
Australia
 (342, Fig. 274), [2008]
S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales,
4th edn (170).

Habit. Annual.
Culms geniculately ascending or decumbent, 5–25 cm tall. Leaf-sheaths hairy.
Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane or a ciliate membrane, 0.6–1 mm
long. Leaf-blades 1–3 cm long, 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface indumented.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence digitate, with spicate branches.

Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), without rachilla extension, lanceolate or oblong, laterally
compressed, 3–4 mm long.

Glumes. Glumes
similar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong, coriaceous, without
keels, 1 -nerved. Upper glume oblong, 3–4 mm long, coriaceous, keeled,
1-keeled, 1 -nerved.

Florets.
Fertile lemma 2–2.6 mm long, keeled, 3 -nerved. Lemma surface indumented. Lemma
apex mucronate. Palea 2 -nerved. Grain 1–1.5 mm long.

Continental
Distribution
: Australasia.

Australian
Distribution
: Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland, New South
Wales.

Northern Territory:
Central Australia North, Central Australia South. South Australia: Lake
Eyre, Gairdner-Torrens Basin. Queensland: Burke, Gregory North, Gregory
South, Warrego. New South Wales: North Far Western Plains, South Far
Western Plains.

Notes.
Distinguished by villous leaves, high colour, relatively long ligule,
inflorescence of usually 2 stiff spikes, firm dissimilar glumes, subapically
bearded floret, acute callus, and scarcely compressed grain. The spikes
resemble those of B. convergens, but this species has glumes with acute
winged keels, a strongly compressed grain, and usually glabrous foliage. Also,
the nerves of the lemma and keels of the palea, though ciliate or pubescent,
lack a subapical tuft.

Endemic;
occurs in the arid and low rainfall areas of inland Australia from Alice
Springs E across the L. Eyre basin between 20°S and 31°S, and within 300 km of
the Qld coast around the Tropic of Capricorn; Usually on sandy, gravelly or
stony slopes or plains, including gibber plains.

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith