Eremochloa muricata (Retz.) Hack. Ann.
Sci. Nat. Bot. ser. 3. 14: 360 (1851).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Aegilops
muricata Retz., Observ. Bot. 2: 27 (1781).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: India:, König s.n. (HT: LD; IT: C, K).
Recent synonyms:
Ischaemum pectinatum.
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (514 as Rottboellia
muricata), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Habit.
Perennial. Culms decumbent, 16–60 cm tall. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Lateral
branches simple. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 1 mm long. Leaf-blades 1–17 cm
long, 2–6 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, 6 mm long. 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, elliptic,
dorsally compressed, 3–7 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, coriaceous,
keeled, 2-keeled, winged on keel, winged broadly (fan-shaped), 7 -nerved. Lower
glume surface glabrous. Upper glume elliptic, 5.5 mm long, membranous or chartaceous,
keeled, 1-keeled, 3 -nerved. Upper glume surface glabrous. Florets.
Basal sterile florets 1, male, with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 80 %
of length of spikelet, hyaline.
Fertile lemma 3–4 mm
long, without keel, 5 -nerved.
Continental Distribution:
Tropical Asia and Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland.
Queensland:
Cook.
Notes. In
Australia found on one rocky headland from northern Qld. Occurs also in India,
Burma and Sri Lanka. Flowers Feb.
