Digitaria leucostachya (Domin) Henrard.
Monogr. Digitaria 399 (1950).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Panicum
leucostachyum Domin, Biblioth. Bot. 85: 299 (1915).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: ST: Domin s.n., Jan 1910, Australia:
Queensland: auf den Sandflächen bei der Mündung des Russell River ST: Domin
s.n., Feb 1910, Australia: Queensland: die Sandhügel der Dividing Range,
östlich von Pentland" ST: Domin s.n., Apr 1910, Australia:
Queensland: Stradbroke Island in der Moreton Bay.
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 (218).
Illustrations:
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales, 4th edn (218).
Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes present. Stolons absent. Culms erect, 40–100 cm tall, 2–5
-noded. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Mid-culm nodes glabrous or pubescent.
Lateral branches simple. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface or hairy. Leaf-sheath
auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane, obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, 5–25 cm
long, 2–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous, glabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence digitate or subdigitate, with racemose branches. Racemes 1–2,
12–25 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 0–3 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled, 2 in the cluster. 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, ovate,
dorsally compressed, 2–2.9 mm long. Rhachilla internodes brief up to lowest
fertile floret.
Glumes. Glumes
thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume ovate, 1.8–2.4 mm long, membranous,
without keels, 3 -nerved. Upper glume surface indumented. Florets. Basal
sterile florets 1, barren, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile
floret 100 % of length of spikelet, membranous, 5–7 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 1.9–2.75
mm long, without keel. Lodicules absent or vestigial.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales.
Northern Territory:
Darwin & Gulf. Queensland: Burke, Burnett, Cook, Moreton, North
Kennedy, Port Curtis, South Kennedy, Warrego, Wide Bay, Darling Downs,
Mitchell. New South Wales: North Coast.
Notes.
A distinctive species with setaceous hairs overtopping the spikelet and
verrucose hairs on the upper glume and lower lemma.
In tropical and
subtropical wet sclerophyll forests and tropical and subtropical sub-humid
woodlands. Flowers Nov.-May.
