Lagurus* Sp. Pl. 81 (1753).
Derivation:. From Greek lagos (hare) and oura (tail), alluding to the appearance of the inflorescence.
Key references (keys and floras):. C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae 145–146 (1952); J.C.Tothill and J.B.Hacker, Grasses of Southern Queensland 290–291 (1983); J.P.Jessop, Flora of South Australia 4: 1921–1922 (1986); B.K.Simon, Key to Australian Grasses 127 (1993); S.W.L.Jacobs and S.M.Hastings, Flora of New South Wales 4: 568 (1993); N.G.Walsh, Flora of Victoria 2: 496 (1994); D.I.Morris, Student's Flora of Tasmania 4B: 281 (1994); E.Edgar and H.E.Connor, Flora of New Zealand 5: 284 (2000); D.Sharp and B.K.Simon, AusGrass (2002); J.P.Jessop, Grasses of South Australia 233–235 (2006 S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th ed, 290–291 (2008); A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae 2: 240–242 (2009).
W.D.Clayton & S.A.Renvoize, Genera Graminum (1986), genus (207).
Naturalised. 1 species, from the Mediterranean. WA, SA, Qld, NSW, Vic, and Tas. Also Malesia and New Zealand.
Habit. Slender annual, tufted. Leaf blades narrow. Ligule an unfringed membrane or a fringed membrane (rarely).
Inflorescence. Inflorescence paniculate, a spike-like panicle, contracted.
Spikelets. Spikelets laterally compressed, 1 flowered, with 1 fertile floret, awned, solitary, pedicelled; with naked rachilla extension. Fertile spikelets disarticulating above glumes.
Glumes. Glumes more or less equal, long relative to adjacent lemmas, hairy (villous), pointed, awned, non-keeled, similar (narrowly lanceolate, membranous, hairy, tapering into fine bristles, thinly membranous). Lower glume 1 nerved. Upper glume 1 nerved.
Florets. Fertile florets 1. Lemmas similar in texture to glumes to decidedly firmer than glumes (membranous), not becoming indurated, incised, awned, 5 nerved, hairy or glabrous. Awns 3, the median different in form from laterals, dorsal, geniculate, hairless, much longer than body of lemma. Lateral awns shorter than median (terminal, straight). Palea relatively long (but shorter than the lemma), apically notched, 2 nerved. Callus blunt. Lodicules 2. Stamens 3. Grain small. Hilum short. Embryo small.
Kranz Anatomy. C3.
2n = 14, 2 ploid, commonly adventive.
Habitat. Xerophytic. Especially maritime sands. Species of open habitats.
Classification. Pooideae; Poeae.
Types Species. L. ovatus L.
Biogeographic Element. Clifford & Simon 1981, Simon & Jacobs 1990: Naturalised.