Polypogon maritimus var. subspatheus* Willd. Neue Schriften Ges. Naturf. Freunde Berlin 3: 442
(1801).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae.
Tribe Poeae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: T: Cult. from seed collected by Herrn Boupland from
the coast of Rochella V: Boupland,
Habitat in oceani littoribus occidentalibus gallicae (B-WILLD; IT: US (fragm.
ex B [Willd. hb, sheet 1, no. 23, in cover 68])).
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western
Australia 1 Gramineae (142), [2002] D.Sharp &
B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia, [2006] J.Jessop,
G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (246), [2009] A.Wilson
(ed.). Flora of Australia,
Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (229 as var. spatheaceus).
Illustrations:
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (246, fig. 189), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.),
Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae 2 (232, Fig.32 as var. subspatheaceus).
Habit. Annual.
Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 4–30 cm tall. Lateral branches simple or
branched. Ligule an eciliate membrane, entire or lacerate. Leaf-blades 2–5 cm
long, 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous, indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle linear or oblong, 2–5 cm long, 1–1.5 cm
wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), without rachilla extension, cuneate, laterally compressed, 1.7–2.6
mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, firmer than fertile lemma, shiny. Lower glume oblong or obovate,
membranous, much thinner above, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Lower glume apex
awned. Upper glume oblong or obovate, 2–2.5 mm long, membranous, keeled,
1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex lobed,
awned.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 0.8–1.25 mm long, without keel, 5 -nerved. Lemma apex entire,
muticous. Palea 2 -nerved. Lodicules present. Anthers 3. Grain 1 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Australasia, and South America.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria,
Tasmania.
Western Australia: Drummond. South Australia: Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Murray, Southern Lofty,
South-eastern. Victoria: East
Gippsland, Gippsland Plain, Grampians, Lowan Mallee, Midlands, Murray
Mallee, Otway Plain, Wilsons
Promontory, Wannon. Tasmania:
Furneaux Group, North East.
Notes. Introduced. Native
to the Mediterranean, widely naturalised.
Damp, coastal areas. Flowers Nov. Fruits Nov.-Dec.
