Brachyachne prostrata

Brachyachne prostrata C. A. Gardner & C. E. Hubbard. Hooker's Icon Pl.
34: t. 3362 (1938).

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

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information
: HT: Gardner s.n., 2 Aug 1927, Australia:
Western Australia: Eremean Prov: 1 mi N of (PERTH; IT: K).

Key references (books
and floras):
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae
(214), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of Central Australia
(467), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia.

Habit. Annual.
Stolons absent. Culms prostrate, 5–10 cm tall. Lateral branches branched.
Ligule an eciliate membrane or a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane, 0.5 mm
long. Leaf-blades lanceolate, 1–11 mm long, 0.5–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface
glabrous or indumented.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence digitate, with spicate branches. Racemes 1.3–1.8 mm wide.

Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), with a barren rachilla extension, lanceolate or elliptic or oblong,
laterally compressed, 3–3.5 mm long.

Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, membranous,
keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume elliptic or oblong, 3–3.5 mm long,
indurate, without keels, 1 -nerved. Upper glume surface asperulous.

Florets.
Fertile lemma 2–2.5 mm long, keeled, 3 -nerved. Lemma surface indumented. Lemma
apex muticous. Palea 2 -nerved. Anthers 3. Grain 1.2–1.5 mm long.

Continental
Distribution
: Australasia.

Australian
Distribution
: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.

Western Australia:
Fortescue, Ashburton, Carnarvon, Austin. Northern Territory: Victoria
River, Central Australia North. Queensland: Gregory North.

Notes.
This distinctive species is readily recognized by its prostrate habit,
pseudo-stolons and short, spatheate often enclosed spikes.

Endemic;
W.A. and western N.T., arid areas along the flanks of the Great Sandy, Gibson
and Great Western Deserts, including the Pilbara region; One record for Qld.
Occurs in arid areas on stony flats and plains, including gibber plains (hard
red stony soil) and granite elevated 'breakaway' country, sometimes between
tussock grasses or Acacia shrubs; usually infrequent.

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