Eriachne squarrosa

Eriachne squarrosa R. Br. Prodr. 183
(1810).

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Micrairoideae. Eriachneae.

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information
: HT: J. Banks & D. Solander s.n., 1770,
Australia: Queensland: Cook District: Bustard Bay, Bay of Inlets and Endeavour
River (BM).

Key references
(books and floras):
[1810]. R.Brown, Prodromus (183), [1878]
G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (628), [1969] E.E.Henty, Manual
Grasses
New Guinea (100), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of Australia
.

Illustrations:
[2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3 (Fig
24C-D).

Habit.
Perennial. Culms 38–90 cm tall. Mid-culm nodes bearded. Lateral branches
simple. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long, 3–5 mm wide.
Leaf-blade surface glabrous or indumented.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle oblong, dense, 3–8 cm long, 1.5 cm
wide.

Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 2-flowered, both fertile, comprising 2
fertile floret(s), without rachilla extension, ovate, laterally compressed,
8–15 mm long.

Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous,
without keels, 13 -nerved. Lower glume surface indumented. Upper glume
lanceolate, 8–15 mm long, membranous, without keels, 13 -nerved. Upper glume
surface indumented.

Florets.
Fertile lemma 2.5–6 mm long, without keel, 5–7 -nerved. Lemma surface
indumented. Lemma apex awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn 25–28 mm long
overall. Palea apex dentate, awned (2). Grain 2.3 mm long.

Continental
Distribution
: Tropical Asia and Australasia.

Australian
Distribution
: Queensland.

Queensland:
Burke, Cook, North Kennedy.

Notes.
A distinctive character of this species is the elongation of the glumes and
palea into an apical beak, which is entire on the glumes and bifid on the
palea. Other diagnostic features are hirsute glumes, lemmas and paleas, which
on the lemma and palea entirely obscures their bodies, short florets relative
to the glumes, abruptly contracted lemma often with apical depressions,
relatively long, often recurved awn, and dense hairy panicle. Eriachne
squarrosa
is often confused with E. armitii, which is an annual with
a loose panicle, mostly glabrous glumes, and often axillary inflorescences. Eriachne
sulcata
is closely allied, but differs by its bisulcate partly glabrous
lemmas and muticous paleas.

Native.
In Australia distributed in coastal NE Qld N of 20ºS; also in Malesia. A plant
of often moist, low-lying, sandy flats and depressions under Melaleuca
spp. and on floodbanks of seasonal streams; also recorded from sandy granite
ridges. Flowers and fruits Apr.-July (mid-autumn to mid-winter), but also Dec.
(early-summer).

   AVH 2011

             

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith