Eleusine tristachya* (Lam.) Lam. Tabl.
Encycl. 1: 203 (1791).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Cynosurus
tristachyos Lam., Encycl. 2: 188 (1786).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: T: Commerson s.n., Uruguay: Montevideo.
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia, [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South
Australia (357), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses
of New South Wales (235).
Illustrations:
[1984] N.T.Burbidge. rev. S.W.L.Jacobs, Australian Grasses (107), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst,
F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (357, fig. 287), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs,
R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn
(235).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending or decumbent or prostrate, stature
slender to delicate, 7–45 cm tall. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringed
membrane, a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades conduplicate, 5–25 cm long, 1–4 mm
wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence digitate or subdigitate, with spicate branches. Racemes 1–4,
linear or oblong, 1–4 cm long, 4–16 mm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (5–13), comprising 5–13 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at
the apex, ovate, laterally compressed, 2–9 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate,
membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1–3 -nerved. Upper glume elliptic, 2.5–4 mm long,
membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 5–7 -nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 3–5 mm long, keeled, wingless, 3 -nerved (excluding
subsidiaries). Lemma apex muticous. Palea 2 -nerved. Lodicules present. Grain 2
mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Australasia, and South
America.
Australian
Distribution: South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria.
South Australia:
Northern Lofty, Southern Lofty, South-eastern. Queensland: Burnett,
Darling Downs, Moreton. New South Wales: Central Coast, South Coast,
Northern Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, North-Western Slopes, Central-Western
Slopes, South-Western Slopes, South-Western Plains. Victoria: East
Gippsland, Eastern Highlands, Gippsland Plain, Midlands, Volcanic Plain.
Notes.
Invasive summer weed.
Recorded
from eastern S.A., southern and NE Vic., eastern N.S.W., Canberra, and around
Brisbane, Qld; tropical Africa, temperate Australia and the Americas, native to
S America. Weed of disturbed ground and mown areas; flowers summer.
