Ectrosia leporina R. Br. Prodr. 186
(1810).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: Littora Novae Hollandiae intra Tropicum.
Recent synonyms:
E. leporina var. longiglumis, E. leporina var. micrantha, E.
leporina var. pauciflora, E. leporina var. spadicea.
Key references
(books and floras): [1810]. R.Brown, Prodromus (186 & as Ectrosia
spadicea), [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (633), [1969]
E.E.Henty, Manual Grasses New Guinea (84), [1981] M.Lazarides in
J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of Central Australia (460), [2002] D.Sharp &
B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia.
Illustrations:
[1984] N.T.Burbidge. rev. S.W.L.Jacobs, Australian Grasses (123).
Habit. Annual
or perennial. Culms 10–90 cm tall. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe of
hairs. Leaf-blades 5–12 cm long, 1–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous or
indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle 5–15 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1 or more flowered, with 1 fertile
floret (1–4(-4)), comprising 1–3(–4) fertile floret(s), with diminished florets
at the apex, linear or lanceolate or oblong, laterally compressed, 1.5–6.7 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate,
membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, 1.5–2.5 mm
long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 1.5–3 mm long, keeled, 3 -nerved. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma
apex awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn 2 mm long overall. Palea 2
-nerved. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Tropical Asia, Australasia, and Pacific.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.
Western Australia:
Gardner, Fitzgerald, Dampier. Fortescue. Northern Territory: Darwin
& Gulf, Victoria River, Barkly Tableland. Queensland: Burke, Cook,
Mitchell, North Kennedy, South Kennedy, Port Curtis.
