Enteropogon paucispiceus
(Lazarides) B.K. Simon. Austrobaileya
2: 1 (1984).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Enteropogon
unispiceus var. paucispiceus Lazarides, Austral. J. Bot., Suppl.
Ser 5: 27, f. 10 (1972).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia:
Queensland:
Moreton Dist: Glenore Grove, near Lawes, 16 Feb 1950, Bisset S671 (HT:
CANB-22154).
Recent synonyms: E. unispiceus var. paucispiceus.
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Habit. Perennial.
Culms stature slender to delicate, 44–60 cm tall, 2–4 -noded. Lateral branches
simple or sparsely branched or branched. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe
of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform, flat or involute, 3–10 cm long, 0.5–1.7 mm
wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence digitate, with spicate branches.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile. Fertile spikelets 1 or more flowered, with 1 fertile floret,
comprising 1 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the apex,
lanceolate, laterally compressed, 4–5 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous,
without keels, 1 -nerved. Lower glume apex muticous or mucronate. Upper glume
lanceolate, 4.1–5.3 mm long, membranous, without keels, 1 -nerved. Upper glume
apex mucronate or awned.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 4.8–7 mm long, keeled, 3 -nerved. Lemma apex entire, awned, 1
-awned. Median (principal) awn 8–12.8 mm long overall. Palea 2 -nerved. Grain
2–5 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland.
Queensland:
Darling Downs, Leichhardt, Burnett, Port
Curtis.
Notes.
This species might well be regarded as an extreme form of E. acicularis.
However, its slender compact habit, sparse inflorescence, and smooth floret
indicate a closer relationship to E. unispiceus. E. paucispiceus
differs from E. unispiceus in having fewer culm nodes, usually more
spikes, and longer leaf blades, callus and awn on the fertile floret.
SE Qld, from the coast to c. 600 km inland. Occurs in
brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) country, in heavy soils, or in Eucalyptus
forest on sand and sandstone slopes and hilltops.
