Hygrochloa cravenii M. Lazarides. Brunonia 2: 89 (1979).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf
Distr.: 17 mi N of Wilton River crossing, 13.29S 134.31E, 15 Jun 1972, Latz
2768 (HT: CANB; IT: NT).
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Habit. Annual.
Culms erect, 30–100 cm tall. Lateral branches branched or fastigiate.
Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.2–1.5 mm long.
Leaf-blades filiform, involute, 1–22 cm long, 0.5–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface
papillose.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle of racemes. Racemes 5–10, appressed, 1–2 cm
long, bearing 1–10 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis
10.5–30 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile. Male spikelets sessile. 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, 2–2.6 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, membranous, without
keels, 3 -nerved. Upper glume ovate, 1.8–2.6 mm long, membranous, without
keels, 5(–7) -nerved. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, barren, without
significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 100 % of length of spikelet,
membranous, 5–7 -nerved. Fertile florets female.
Fertile lemma 1.9–2.5
mm long, without keel, 5 -nerved. Palea 2 -nerved. Anthers 3. Grain 1.75 mm
long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Northern Territory, Queensland.
Northern Territory:
Darwin & Gulf, Barkly Tableland. Queensland: Burke.
Notes.
Diagnostic features include a longer main axis than H. aquatica, longer
lowermost primary branches, more spikelets on these branches, the erect habit,
involute leaves and the highly branched culms. Hygrochloa cravenii is
known from only a few collections.
In tropical and
subtropical sub-humid woodlands. Flowers June-July.
