Heterachne baileyi C. E. Hubbard. Hooker's
Icon. t.3283: 3 (1935).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia:
Queensland: Cook Dist.: Weipa, on the Embley River,
Jun 1901, J.F. Bailey s.n. (HT: K; IT: BRI).
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Illustrations:
[2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3
(Fig. 74C-D).
Habit. Annual.
Culms erect or geniculately ascending, stature slender to delicate, 9–45 cm
tall, 4–6 -noded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface or hairy. Ligule a fringe of
hairs. Leaf-blades flat or convolute, 3–8 cm long, 0.6–3.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade
surface glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence
compound, a panicle. Panicle linear or lanceolate, 3.5–20 cm long, 2–6 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1 or more flowered, with 1 fertile
floret or many flowered, with at least 2 fertile florets (1–2), comprising 1–2
fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the apex, ovate or orbicular,
laterally compressed, 3–3.5 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume lanceolate or ovate, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1
-nerved. Upper glume lanceolate or ovate, 1.8–3 mm long, keeled, 1-keeled, 1
-nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 2.8–3.2 mm long, keeled, winged on keel, 3 -nerved. Lodicules
present. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland.
Queensland: Cook.
Notes.
Cape York Penin., Qld, N of 14°S. Considered
rare, but reported as locally common on road and track margins particularly in
wetter sites in drains. Occurs on lower slopes in open forest or woodland of
such species as Eucalyptus tetrodonta, E. clarksoniana, E. polycarpa, E.
confertiflora and E. platyphylla, on podsolic or rocky soils.
