Chrysopogon sylvaticus C. E. Hubbard. Hooker's Icon. Pl., 34: t.3365 (1938).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.
Type of Basionym or Protologue Information: IT: C.E. Hubbard 8587, 3 Apr 1931, Australia: Queensland (L, US-2907468). CS.
Key references (books and floras): [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 (186).
Illustrations: [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn (186).
Habit. Perennial. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 30–120 cm tall, 3–5 -noded. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Lateral branches simple or branched. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades conduplicate, 25–50 cm long, 2.5–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence compound, a panicle of rames. Panicle ovate, effuse, 8–18 cm long, 7–13 cm wide. Rhachis evident or obsolete, fragile at the nodes.
Spikelets. Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Companion spikelets pedicelled, 1–2 in the cluster. Companion spikelets rudimentary or developed, comprising 2 subequal glumes without lemmas or containing empty lemmas or male, 3–7.3 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, lanceolate or oblong, laterally compressed, 7.3–9.7 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong, cartilaginous, without keels, 7 -nerved. Lower glume apex muticous or mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate, keeled, 1-keeled, 3 -nerved. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex awned. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, barren, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret hyaline, 2 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 5 mm long, without keel, 3 -nerved. Lemma apex dentate, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn from a sinus, 17–25 mm long overall, with a twisted column. Palea 2 -nerved. Grain 3.5–4 mm long.
Continental Distribution: Australasia.
Australian Distribution: Queensland, New South Wales.
Queensland: Burnett, Moreton, Port Curtis, Wide Bay, Cook, North Kennedy, South Kennedy. New South Wales: North Coast.
Notes. Growing in Eucalyptus forests of SE Qld and adjacent N.S.W. particularly on somewhat stony hillsides. Flowers Dec.--July.
