Ehrharta villosa* Schult. f. J.A.Schultes & J.H.Schultes, Syst. Veg. 7: 1374
(1829).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Ehrhartoideae. Tribe Ehrharteae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: ?HT: Ecklon, (P).
Recent synonyms:
E. villosa var. maxima.
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (19), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia, [2002] J.Wheeler, N.Marchant & M.Lewington, Flora of the
South West (415), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of
South Australia (57), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley &
D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (234), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora
of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (375).
Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (20,
Pl. 3), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South
Australia (57, fig. 22 as var. maxima),
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales, 4th edn (234), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A:
Poaceae 2 (372, Fig. 50).
Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes present, short or elongated. Culms erect, 100–150 cm tall,
2–5 mm diam., woody. Mid-culm internodes solid, glabrous. Lateral branches
suffrutescent. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a fringed
membrane, a ciliolate membrane or a ciliate membrane, 0.5–2 mm long,
membranous. Leaf-blades involute, 1.5–20 cm long, 4–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade
surface indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle linear, 4–26 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1 or more flowered, with 1 fertile
floret, comprising 2 basal sterile florets, comprising 1 fertile floret(s),
without rachilla extension, cuneate, laterally compressed, 11–18 mm long.
Rhachilla internodes elongated between basal sterile florets.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, membranous, keeled,
1-keeled, 5–9 -nerved. Upper glume elliptic, 9–18 mm long, membranous, without
keels, 5–9 -nerved. Florets. Basal sterile florets 2 or more, barren,
without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 100 % of length of
spikelet, cartilaginous, 1-keeled, muticous or mucronate or awned. Lemma of
upper sterile floret 6–13.5 mm long, mucronate or awned.
Fertile lemma 6–11 mm
long, keeled, 7–9 -nerved. Lemma surface indumented. Palea 2 -nerved. Lodicules
present. Anthers 6. Grain 5.5 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Africa, Australasia, and South America.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales,
Victoria.
Western Australia:
Drummond, Menzies. South Australia: Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty,
Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty. New South Wales: Central Coast.
Victoria: Murray Mallee, Otway Plain, Wannon.
Notes.
Used as a sand stabilizer.
Introduced,
N.S.W., Vic., S.A. and W.A. Native of S Africa. On beach fore dunes. Flowers
Oct.-Nov.
Infra -specific
taxa: var. villosa, var. maxima .
