Polypogon monspeliensis*


Polypogon monspeliensis* (L.) Desf. Fl.
Atlant.
1: 67 (1798).

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae.
Tribe Poeae.

Basionym and/or
Replacement Name:
 Alopecurus
monspeliensis
L., Sp. Pl.
1: 61 (1753).

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information
: LT: Anon., Europe
(LINN-82.6). LT designated by Hubbard, Fl. Trop. East Afr. Gramineae 1: 100
(1970), but specific sheet not indicated; specific sheet designated by Scholz
in Cafferty et al., Taxon 49(2): 245 (2000).

ST: (LINN-82.7).

Key references
(books and floras):
[1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (546),
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (142),
[1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of Central Australia (436),
[2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia, [2002]
J.Wheeler, N.Marchant & M.Lewington, Flora of the South West (432), [2006]
J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (247),
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales
, [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2
(230).

Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western
Australia
1 Gramineae (141, Pl.42), [1984]
N.T.Burbidge. rev. S.W.L.Jacobs, Australian Grasses  (323), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst,
F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia  (248, fig. 190), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs,
R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn
(356), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae 2
(232, Fig.32).

Habit. Annual.
Culms erect or decumbent, 3–96 cm tall. Lateral branches simple or branched.
Ligule an eciliate membrane, 3–15 mm long, bilobed. Leaf-blades 1.5–32 cm long,
1.1–11 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous or scabrous.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle oblong or ovate, 0.6–16.5 cm long,
1–3.5 cm wide.

Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), without rachilla extension, oblong, laterally compressed, 1.7–3 mm
long.

Glumes. Glumes
similar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong or obovate, membranous,
keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Lower glume apex awned. Upper glume oblong or
obovate, 1.8–2.6 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume
surface asperulous or scabrous. Upper glume apex entire, awned.

Florets.
Fertile lemma 0.9–1.5 mm long, without keel, 5 -nerved. Lemma apex dentate,
muticous or awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn subapical or from a sinus,
1–1.6(–3) mm long overall, without a column. Palea 2 -nerved. Anthers 3.

Continental
Distribution
: Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia,
Pacific, North America, South America, and Antarctica.

Australian
Distribution
: Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia,
Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Lord Howe.

Western Australia: Drummond. Northern Territory: Central
Australia South. South Australia: Lake Eyre, Gairdner-Torrens
Basin, Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Yorke
Peninsula, Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South-eastern. Queensland:
Darling Downs, Maranoa, Moreton, Warrego, Wide Bay,
Burnett. New South Wales: North Coast, Central Coast, South Coast,
Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, Central-Western Slopes, North-Western
Plains, South-Western Plains, North Far Western Plains. Victoria: East
Gippsland, Eastern Highlands, Gippsland Highlands, Gippsland Plain, Grampians,
Lowan Mallee, Midlands, Murray Mallee, Otway Plain, Otway Range, Wilsons
Promontory, Riverina, Volcanic Plain, Wannon, Wimmera. Tasmania:
King Island, Furneaux Group, North
West, North East, East Coast.

Notes. Introduced. Also on
Lord Howe Is. Native to the Mediterranean, now
widely naturalised. A weed of lowland, damp, disturbed sites, often close to
water and occasionally submerged; widespread. Flowers Sept.-Feb. Fruits
Oct.-Jan.

  

                 

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith