Paraneurachne muelleri (Hack.) S. T. Blake.
Contr. Queensland Herb. 13: 21 (1972).
Classification.
(GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Neurachneae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Neurachne
muelleri Hack., Prodr. 196 (1810).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: Mueller (W holo, MEL).
Recent synonyms:
Neurachne muelleri.
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (271 as Neurachne clementii), [1981] M.Lazarides in
J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of Central Australia (486), [2002] D.Sharp &
B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia, [2006] J.Jessop,
G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (502).
Illustrations:
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (503, fig. 432).
Habit.
Perennial. Stolons present. Culms erect, 15–45 cm tall, 0.7–1.2 mm diam.
Mid-culm nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.5–0.8
mm long. Leaf-blades 1–12 cm long, 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle oblong, 2.7–3.5 cm long, 1.5–2.5 cm
wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. 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, ovate, dorsally
compressed, 7.4–12 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, membranous, without
keels, 5–7 -nerved. Lower glume apex awned. Upper glume ovate, 7.4–12 mm long,
coriaceous, without keels, 11–13 -nerved. Upper glume surface indumented. Upper
glume apex awned. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, male, with palea.
Lemma of lower sterile floret 75 % of length of spikelet, coriaceous, much
thinner above, 7 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 5.5–7 mm
long, without keel, 5–7 -nerved. Palea 2 -nerved. Lodicules present. Anthers 3.
Grain 2.1–3.25 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia,
Queensland.
Western Australia:
Keartland, Fortescue, Ashburton, Carnarvon, Austin. Northern Territory:
Barkly Tableland, Central Australia North, Central Australia South. South
Australia: North-western. Queensland: Burke, South Kennedy, Gregory
North, Gregory South, Mitchell.
Notes. In arid
and semi-arid low woodlands, shrub steppe shrublands, acacia shrublands, arid
tussock grasslands, and arid hummock grasslands. Flowers Feb.-Aug.