Eragrostis filicaulis M. Lazarides. Aust.
Syst. Bot. 10: 120 (1997).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia,
Queensland,
Esmeralda homestead: Lazarides 4734 (CANB
holo).
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Illustrations:
[2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3
(Fig. 68M-O).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect, stature slender to delicate, 11–60 cm tall, 2–3 -noded.
Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.2–0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades straight or curled or
flexuous, filiform, conduplicate or involute or convolute, 1 mm wide.
Leaf-blade surface scabrous, glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle linear or oblong, 5–13 cm long,
1.5–4 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile or pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least
2 fertile florets (14–38), comprising 14–38 fertile floret(s), with diminished
florets at the apex, linear, laterally compressed, 6.5–18 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume linear or lanceolate, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1
-nerved. Upper glume linear or lanceolate, 1–1.5 mm long, membranous, without
keels or keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume surface asperulous.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 1.4–1.7 mm long, keeled, 3 -nerved. Lemma apex muticous. Palea 2 -nerved. Anthers
2. Grain 0.3–0.5 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.
Western
Australia: Gardner.
Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf, Central Australia North. Queensland: Burke, North Kennedy.
Notes.
Distinguishing characters include two minute purple-black anthers; setaceous
often flexuose and hairy blades; fliform culms; leafy compact base; turgid
almost globoid caryopsis; linear spikelets, thickened zig-zag, semi-persistent
rachilla.
Endemic;
occurs in the Drysdale R. area in the Kimberley, W.A., from Kakadu Natl Park
and Daly R. area S to Katherine, and also near Alice Springs, N.T., and
scattered from near Croyden in the Gulf to Warrigal Stn, SE of Charters Towers,
Qld. Usually in deep, white or reddish-brown sands on seepage slopes, sandstone
plateaux, sand ridges, margins of seasonal swamps and in broad shallow
depressions.; flowers Feb., Apr.-Sept.; fruits Feb., Apr.-Sept.
