Eragrostis cilianensis* (Bellardi) Vign.
ex Janch. Mitt. Naturwiss. Vereins
Univ. Wien, n.s. 5:
110 (1907).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Poa cilianensis
Bellardi, Fl. Pedem. 2: 246 (1785).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: LT: Bellardi s.n., Italy: Ciliani (TO-8242
(photo, K)). LT designated by Vignolo, Malpighia 18: 380 (1904).
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (118), [1969] E.E.Henty, Manual Grasses New Guinea
(93), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of Central Australia
(459), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia,
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia
(366), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New
South Wales (250).
Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (120,
Pl. 34), [2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3
(Fig. 71N-P), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South
Australia (366, Fig. 294), [2008]
S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales,
4th edn (250).
Habit. Annual.
Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 10–90 cm tall. Ligule a fringe of hairs,
0.5–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, 5–20 cm long, 2–8 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle ovate, dense or loose, 4–30 cm long.
Spikelets. Spikelets
pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile florets
((8-)18–30(-54)), with diminished florets at the apex, lanceolate or oblong or
ovate, laterally compressed, 3–30 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume ovate, keeled, 1-keeled, 1–3 -nerved. Upper glume ovate,
1.5–2.2 mm long, keeled, 1-keeled, 1–3 -nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma (1.3–)2–2.8 mm long, keeled, 3 -nerved. Lemma apex muticous.
Anthers 3. Grain 0.5(–0.7) mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia,
Pacific, North America, and South America.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia,
Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Lord Howe.
Western
Australia: Gardner.
Drummond, Dale, Menzies, Avon. Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf, Central
Australia North, Central Australia South. South
Australia: North-western, Gairdner-Torrens Basin, Flinders Ranges, Eastern,
Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty,
Kangaroo Island, South-eastern. Queensland:
Burke, Burnett, Cook, Darling Downs, Gregory North, Leichhardt, Maranoa,
Moreton, North Kennedy, Port Curtis, South Kennedy, Warrego, Wide Bay,
Gregory South, Mitchell. New South Wales: North Coast, Central Coast,
South Coast, Northern Tablelands, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands,
North-Western Slopes, Central-Western Slopes, South-Western Slopes,
North-Western Plains, South-Western Plains, North Far Western Plains. Victoria: East Gippsland, Gippsland Plain,
Midlands, Murray
Mallee, Riverina, Volcanic Plain, Wimmera. Tasmania:
Midlands, East Coast.
Notes.
A troublesome weed.
Distinquishing characters include glandular
culms, foliage, panicle and spikelets; globose caryopsis; scabrous-papillose lemmas;
straight or slightly flexuose rachilla; 1–3 nerved glumes; relatively wide
palea flaps; loosely flowered, olive-green spikelets with a median depression.
Introduced;
scattered occurences in N and SW W.A. and central N.T., most common in eastern Australia. Weed
of lawns, gardens, experimental plots, glasshouses, roadsides, railway tracks,
irrigation channels, and cultivated crops; in red brown sandy and clayey loams,
heavy black clays, alluvial and red basaltic soils; seasonally flooded plains;
creek and lake banks.; flowers throughout the year.; fruits throughout the
year.
