Iseilema calvum

Iseilema calvum C. E. Hubbard. Hooker's
Icon. Pl.
t.3286: 1 (1935).

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information
: Australia,
Hughenden:  Hubbard & Winders 7173
(K holo).

Key references
(books and floras):
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western
Australia
1 Gramineae (350), [2002] D.Sharp &
B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia.

Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western
Australia
1 Gramineae (349, Pl. 102).

Habit. Annual. Culms
erect or geniculately ascending, 15–40 cm tall, 4–6 -noded. Lateral branches
branched. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane, 1 mm long.
Leaf-blades flat or conduplicate, 10–25 cm long, 3–6 mm wide.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, composed of rames.

Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Companion spikelets pedicelled, 2 in the
cluster. Basal sterile spikelets well-developed, 4 in number. Companion
spikelets developed, male, 3–5 mm long. Companion spikelet glumes muticous. 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, lanceolate, dorsally compressed, 6–7 mm long.

Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, coriaceous,
without keels, 8–12 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, coriaceous, 3 -nerved. Florets.
Basal sterile florets 1, barren, without significant palea. Lemma of lower
sterile floret membranous, 3 -nerved. Fertile florets female.

Fertile lemma 3–5 mm
long, 1 -nerved. Lemma apex entire, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn
15–22 mm long overall, with a twisted column. Column 5–10 mm long. Palea
absent. Anthers 3. Grain 3 mm long.

Continental
Distribution
: Australasia.

Australian
Distribution
: Northern Territory, Queensland.

Northern Territory: Barkly Tableland.
Queensland:
Burke, Cook, Gregory North.

Notes. Grows in
cracking clay soils on the Barkly Tableland of NT and the Mitchell grass Downs
of Qld. Flowers Jan.--May and Aug.

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