Paspalidium retiglume (Domin) D.K.Hughes.
Bull. Misc. Inform. 317 (1923).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Panicum
retiglume Domin, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 10: 119 (1911).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: F. Mueller s.n., Upper Victoria river,
Australia (MEL; IT: K).
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Habit. Annual.
Rhizomes absent. Culms erect, 10–50 cm tall, 2–5 -noded. Mid-culm internodes
hollow, glabrous. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Lateral branches simple. Leaf-sheaths
glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringed membrane or a fringe of hairs, 0.7–1 mm
long. Leaf-blades flat or involute, 4–10 cm long, 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade
surface scabrous, glabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle of racemes. Racemes appressed, 1.5–3 cm long,
2–3 mm wide, bearing 7–17 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis
6.5–18 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, elliptic or ovate,
dorsally compressed, 2.7–3.1 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong or ovate, membranous,
without keels, 5 -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex
muticous. Upper glume ovate, 2.5–2.9 mm long, membranous, without keels, 11–15
-nerved. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, barren, without significant
palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 100 % of length of spikelet, membranous,
11 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 2.6–3.1
mm long, without keel. Lemma apex mucronate.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.
Western Australia:
Gardner, Fitzgerald. Northern Territory: Victoria River, Barkly
Tableland. Queensland: Cook, Burke.
Notes.
A distinctive species related to P. globoideum.
In tropical and
subtropical sub-humid woodlands, arid and semi-arid low woodlands, arid tussock
grasslands, and arid hummock grasslands. Flowers Mar.-June-Sept.
