Enneapogon purpurascens (R.Br.) Beauv. Ess.
Agrost. 82, 162, 171 (1812).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Chloridoideae. Pappophoreae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Pappophorum
purpurascens R. Br., Prodr. 185 (1812).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: R. Brown 6250, Australia: Queensland:
Carpenteria (BM).
Recent synonyms:
E. glaber, E. planifolius.
Key references
(books and floras): [1810]. R.Brown, Prodromus (as Pappophorum
pururasens), [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae
(30 as E. planifolius, E. glaber), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed).,
Flora of Central Australia (453 as E. glaber & E.
planifolius & 454), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of Australia.
Habit. Annual
or perennial. Culms 6–75 cm tall. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curled,
flat, 1–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle linear to oblong, 1.5–11 cm long, 1–1.5
cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1 or more flowered, with 1 fertile
floret, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the apex,
oblong, laterally compressed, 3.5–5.5 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, membranous, without
keels, (5–)7–11(–13) -nerved. Lower glume surface indumented. Upper glume
ovate, 3.5–5.5(–8.2) mm long, membranous, without keels, (5–)7–11(–13) -nerved.
Upper glume surface asperulous, indumented. Upper glume apex erose.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 1.6–2.6 mm long, without keel, 9 -nerved. Lemma surface
indumented. Lemma apex dentate or lobed, awned, 9 -awned. Median (principal)
awn (1.8–)4–6(–7.4) mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns present. Lodicules
present. Anthers 3. Grain 1–2 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.
Western Australia:
Gardner, Fitzgerald, Hall, Dampier. Northern Territory: Darwin &
Gulf, Victoria River, Barkly Tableland, Central Australia North, Central
Australia South. Queensland: Burke, Cook, Port Curtis.
Notes.
Distinguishing characters include the hardened, obscurely nerve lemma; pilose
glumes, usually long, narrow panicle and many-noded culms covered by leaf
sheaths. The blade gradually tapers to a fine apex and often it is flat, curly
and glaucous.
Chiefly
N of 20°S in W.A. and N.T.
