Eremochloa bimaculata Hack. DC.
Monogr. Phan. 6: 265 (1889).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: India:, Griffith KD6774 (HT: B (destroyed);
IT: G, K, L (fragm. ex B)).
Key references
(books and floras): [1969] E.E.Henty, Manual Grasses New Guinea
(97), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia,
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales (259).
Illustrations:
[1984] N.T.Burbidge. rev. S.W.L.Jacobs, Australian Grasses (135), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley
& D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn (259).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 30–80 cm tall, 2–3 -noded.
Mid-culm nodes glabrous or pubescent or bearded. Lateral branches simple.
Ligule an eciliate membrane, 0.4–1 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate, 5–12 cm
long, 2–5 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a rame. Rhachis fragile at the nodes.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Companion spikelets pedicelled, 1 in the
cluster. Companion spikelets represented by barren pedicels or rudimentary,
containing empty lemmas. Fertile spikelets 2-flowered, the lower floret barren
(rarely male), the upper fertile, comprising 1 basal sterile florets,
comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without rachilla extension, oblong, dorsally
compressed, 4–5.5 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma, shiny. Lower glume elliptic or
oblong, chartaceous, keeled, 2-keeled, winged on keel, winged narrowly, 7
-nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous. Upper glume elliptic or oblong, 4 mm
long, membranous or chartaceous, keeled, 1-keeled, winged on keel, 3 -nerved.
Upper glume surface glabrous. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, male,
with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret hyaline.
Fertile lemma 3–4 mm
long, without keel. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, and Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland, New South Wales.
Queensland:
Burke, Burnett, Cook, Darling Downs, Leichhardt, Maranoa, Moreton, North
Kennedy, Port Curtis, South Kennedy, Warrego, Wide Bay. New South Wales:
North Coast, Northern Tablelands, North-Western Slopes.
Notes. Occurs
from northern N.S.W. through Qld in the open forest and woodland country.
Extends to New Guinea and India, Burma and Thailand. Flowers Oct.--May.
