Paspalidium gausum S. T. Blake. Proc.
Roy. Soc. Queensland 84: 68 (1973).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: Queensland: prope Burpengary, S.T.
Blake 19914 (HT: BRI-131641–2).
Key references
(books and floras): [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 (324).
Illustrations:
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales, 4th edn (324).
Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes present, short. Culms erect or geniculately ascending,
35–80 cm tall, wiry, 2–4 -noded. Mid-culm internodes hollow, glabrous. Mid-culm
nodes glabrous. Lateral branches simple or sparsely branched. Ligule a fringed
membrane, a ciliate membrane, 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat or conduplicate,
7–24 cm long, 2–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous or scabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle of racemes. Racemes 4–5, appressed, 0.5–3.5
cm long, 4–6 mm wide, bearing 9–20 fertile spikelets on each. Central
inflorescence axis 10–24 cm long.
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, oblong or ovate,
terete or dorsally compressed, 2.5–3 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume orbicular, membranous, without
keels, 3–5 -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex mucronate.
Upper glume elliptic, 2.2–2.6 mm long, membranous, without keels, 7–9 -nerved. Florets.
Basal sterile florets 1, barren, with palea or without significant palea. Lemma
of lower sterile floret 100 % of length of spikelet, membranous, 5 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 2.3–2.9
mm long, without keel. Lemma apex mucronate.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland, New South Wales.
Queensland:
Cook, Leichhardt, Moreton, North Kennedy, Port Curtis, Wide Bay, South Kennedy.
New South Wales: North Coast.
Notes. In
tropical and subtropical rain forests, tropical and subtropical wet sclerophyll
forests, and tropical and subtropical sub-humid woodlands. Flowers Mar.-May.
