Eragrostis lanipes C. E. Hubbard. Bull.
Misc. Inform. Kew 1934: 449 (1934).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Western
Australia: Tenindewa, between Geraldtown and Mullewa,
Palmer s.n..
Recent synonyms:
E. clelandii.
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (126), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of
Central Australia (460), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of Australia, [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses
of South Australia (375).
Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia
1 Gramineae (127, Pl. 37), [2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3 (Fig.
64O-R), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (375, fig. 307).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 15–90 cm tall. Leaves mostly
basal. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.8 mm long. Leaf-blades straight, flat or
involute, 5–10 cm long, 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth or scabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle ovate, 5–20 cm long, contracted
about primary branches or contracted about secondary branches.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile or pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least
2 fertile florets (5–10(-20)), comprising 5–10(–20) fertile floret(s), with
diminished florets at the apex, oblong or ovate, laterally compressed, 2.5–10
mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume elliptic, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper
glume elliptic, 1.3–2 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 1.5–2.3 mm long, keeled, 3 -nerved. Lemma apex mucronate.
Lodicules present. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia.
Western Australia: Carnegie, Helms,
Ashburton, Carnarvon, Austin. Irwin. Northern Territory:
Central Australia South. South
Australia: North-western, Lake Eyre, Nullabor, Gairdner-Torrens Basin.
Notes.
Distinguishing characters include late-deciduous glumes; florets falling entire
downwards; hyaline palea, notched and ciliolate at apex, keels with tangled
unequal hairs, flaps relatively wide; caryopsis turgid, trigonous, concave;
lemmas mucronate, gibbous, hairy, often as wide as long; glumes ciliate on
margins; rootbase woolly.
Endemic;
distribution is from near Carnarvon on the W coast to E of Wiluna, and also
near Derby to the N, W.A., and in S.A. from the Great Sandy Desert S to the N
edge of the Nullarbor Plain. In deep, red sands and lateritic soils of
dunefields and sandplains.; flowers July-Oct.; fruits July-Oct.
