Oplismenus aemulus (R.Br.) Roem. &
Schult. Syst. Veg. 2: 487 (1817).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Orthopogon
aemulus R. Br., Prodr. 194 (1810).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: Brown 6132, Australia: Keppel Bay (BM).
Recent synonyms: O. aemulus var. lasiorhachis, O.
hirtellus auct.
Key references
(books and floras): [1810]. R.Brown, Prodromus (194 as Orthopogon
aemulus & O. flaccidus), [1878] G.Bentham, Flora
Australiensis 7 (492 as Oplismenus setarius), [1969] E.E.Henty, Manual
Grasses New Guinea (132), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of Australia, [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley &
D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (308).
Illustrations:
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales, 4th edn (309).
Habit.
Perennial. Culms prostrate, 300 cm tall. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliate
membrane. Leaf-blades ovate, 1–10 cm long, 4–18 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface
glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle of racemes. Racemes 3–9, 2.5–3.5 cm long.
Central inflorescence axis 3–15 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile and pedicelled, 2 in the cluster. 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, laterally compressed, 3.5–4 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar or dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate,
herbaceous, without keels, 5 -nerved. Lower glume surface indumented. Lower
glume apex awned. Upper glume ovate, herbaceous, without keels, 7 -nerved.
Upper glume surface indumented. Upper glume apex awned. Florets. Basal
sterile florets 1, barren, with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 100 % of
length of spikelet, membranous, without keels, 7 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 2–3 mm
long, without keel, 7 -nerved. Palea without keels.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria.
Queensland:
Cook, Burke, North Kennedy, South Kennedy, Port Curtis, Leichhardt, Burnett,
Wide Bay, Darling Downs, Moreton. New South Wales: North Coast, Central
Coast, South Coast, Central Tablelands, North-Western Slopes, and South-Western
Plains. Victoria: Gippsland Plain, East Gippsland.
