Ectrosia danesii Domin. Biblioth.
Bot. 85: 406 (1915).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: North Queensland: Normanto, Dr. J.
Danes.
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (88), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Habit. Annual.
Culms erect or geniculately ascending, stature slender to delicate, 6–40 cm
tall, 2–5 -noded. Mid-culm internodes glabrous or pilose. Lateral branches
branched. Leaf-sheaths smooth, glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs.
Leaf-blades flat or convolute, 4–8.5 cm long, 1.5–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface
scaberulous, glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle oblong, dense, 3–5 cm long, 2–4 cm
wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets ((4–6)-13), comprising (4–)6–13 fertile floret(s), with diminished
florets at the apex, linear or oblong, laterally compressed, 14–30 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper
glume lanceolate, 2.5–4.5 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1–3 -nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 4.5–8 mm long, keeled, 3 -nerved. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma
apex awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn 0.5–5 mm long overall. Palea 2
-nerved. Anthers 3. Grain 1–1.5 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.
Western Australia:
Gardner, Dampier. Fortescue. Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf. Queensland:
Burke, Cook.
Notes.
Endemic; known from the Kimberley region of W.A. and offshore islands, on the
western side of Arnhem Land, and around the southern edge of the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Occurs on ridges in shallow channels, or on river flood flats, in sand or clay
loam, in low open shrubland or woodlands of Eucalyptus, Melaleuca,
Petalostigma.
