Eulalia annua B.K. Simon. Trans.
& Proc. Roy. Soc. South Australia 67: 43 (1943).
Classification.
(GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Habit. Annual.
Culms decumbent, 10–45 cm tall. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Lateral branches
simple. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane, 0.1 mm long.
Leaf-blades 3–7 cm long, 1–3 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence digitate, with ramose branches. Rhachis fragile at the nodes.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile and pedicelled, 2 in the cluster. Fertile spikelets
2-flowered, the lower floret barren (rarely male), the upper fertile (upper),
comprising 1 basal sterile florets, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without
rachilla extension, linear or lanceolate, dorsally compressed, 2.5–3 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear or lanceolate or
elliptic, chartaceous, without keels or keeled, 2-keeled, 5 -nerved. Lower
glume surface indumented. Upper glume linear or lanceolate or elliptic, 3
-nerved. Upper glume surface indumented. Upper glume apex muticous. Florets.
Basal sterile florets 1, barren, without significant palea.
Fertile lemma 0.5 mm
long, without keel. Lemma apex lobed, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn
from a sinus, 18–20 mm long overall, with a twisted column. Palea absent.
Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.
Western Australia:
Gardner. Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf. Queensland:
Burke, Cook.
Notes. Sandy
soil of Eucalyptus spp./Melaleuca spp. savanna woodland in
northern Australia. Flowers Apr.--May.
