Echinopogon cheelii C. E. Hubbard. Hook. Ic. Pl. ser 5, 3, subt. 3261: 3 (1935).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Poeae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: New South Wales: Gough County: Glen
Innes, Cheel s.n..
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 (231), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia,
Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (226).
Illustrations:
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales, 4th edn (231), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A:
Poaceae 2 (225, Fig.31).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 20–170 cm tall, 2–5 -noded.
Lateral branches simple. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths retrorsely scabrous,
glabrous on surface or hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 1.5 mm long, truncate.
Leaf-blades linear or lanceolate, 3–14 cm long, 4–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade
surface smooth or scaberulous, glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle lanceolate or ovate, 1–6 cm long, 1–3
cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), with a barren rachilla extension, linear or lanceolate, laterally
compressed, (6–)6.8–10 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate or elliptic,
membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate or elliptic,
5.7–10 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 6–10 mm long, keeled, 5–9 -nerved. Lemma surface indumented.
Lemma apex dentate, awned, 3 -awned. Median (principal) awn from a sinus or
dorsal, 8–22 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns present. Palea 2 -nerved.
Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: New South Wales, Victoria.
New South Wales:
Northern Tablelands, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, North-Western
Slopes. Victoria: East Gippsland, Eastern Highlands, Snowfields.
Notes. Several specimens
unusually with a glabrous rachilla, but otherwise conforming to the above
description: 4 miles [6.4 km] W of Uralla, granite soil with lateritic
remnants, 25 Mar. 1952, R.W.Jessup & M.Gray 150 (CANB). A.C.T.: E
side Fishing Gap, Mt Tidbinbilla, 27 Jan. 1948, N.T.Burbidge 2782
(CANB). Vic.: Tawonga Gap, 29 Mar. 1936, R.A.Black 1226.002 (CANB).
Endemic. Often in forest and
grasslands in damp situations or shallow rocky soils. Flowers Nov.-Mar. Fruits
Feb.-Mar.
