Cymbopogon procerus (R.Br.) Domin. Biblioth.
Bot. 85:273 (1915).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Andropogon
procerus R. Br., Prodr. 1: 202 (1810).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: R. Brown 6172, Australia: Northern
Territory: Groote Eylandt (BM; IT: E, K).
Recent synonyms:
C. exaltatus.
Key references
(books and floras): [1810]. R.Brown, Prodromus (202 as Andropogon
exaltatus, Andropogon procerus), [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis
7 (532 as Andropogon procerus), [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western
Australia 1 Gramineae (338), [1969] E.E.Henty, Manual Grasses
New Guinea (56), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (339,
Pl. 99).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect, 100–200 cm tall. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Mid-culm
nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane,
3–7 mm long, scarious, obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, 25–50 cm long, 5–15 mm wide.
Leaf-blade surface smooth or scaberulous, glabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, composed of rames. Central inflorescence axis 40–90 cm
long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Companion spikelets pedicelled, 1 in the
cluster. Basal sterile spikelets well-developed, 2 in number (lower raceme).
Companion spikelets developed, comprising 2 subequal glumes without lemmas or
male, 3–4 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 elliptic or ovate, dorsally compressed, 4–5
mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, chartaceous,
keeled, 2-keeled, 0–4 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, keeled, 1-keeled, 3
-nerved. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, barren, without significant
palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret hyaline.
Fertile lemma without keel.
Lemma apex lobed, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn from a sinus, 10–22
mm long overall, with a twisted column. Palea absent. Anthers 3. Grain 2 mm
long.
Continental
Distribution: Tropical Asia and Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.
Western Australia:
Fitzgerald, Hall. Giles. Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf, Victoria
River. Queensland: Burke.
Notes. Known
from savanna regions of northern tropical Australia, New Guinea and SE Timor.
Flowers Mar.--Aug.
