Sarga leiocladum (Hack.) Spangler. Austral.
Syst. Bot. 16(3): 290 . (2003).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Andropogon
australis var. leicoladus Hack., Monogr. Phan..
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: C. Gaudichaud s.n., Feb 1825, Australia:
New South Wales: Central Coast, Port Jackson (P; IT: BM, K).
Recent synonyms:
Sorghum leiocladum.
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 (373 as Sorghum).
Illustrations:
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales, 4th edn (373 as Sorghum).
Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes absent or present, short. Culms 60–150 cm tall, 3–5 -noded.
Mid-culm nodes bearded. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 1–1.3 mm long, abaxially
glabrous. Leaf-blades curled, flat or involute, 10–70 cm long, 1.5–3.5 mm wide.
Leaf-blade surface glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle of rames. Panicle lanceolate or oblong,
14.5–19 cm long, 2–4 cm wide. Rhachis fragile at the nodes.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Companion spikelets pedicelled, 1 in the
cluster. Companion spikelets developed, containing empty lemmas or male, 5–8 mm
long. Companion spikelet glumes muticous. 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,
lanceolate or oblong, dorsally compressed, 6–8 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong or ovate, coriaceous,
much thinner above, without keels, 7–11 -nerved. Lower glume surface
indumented. Upper glume oblong or ovate, coriaceous, without keels, 7–11
-nerved. Upper glume surface indumented. Florets. Basal sterile florets
1, barren, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret hyaline, 2
-nerved.
Fertile lemma 2.5–4 mm
long, 1 -nerved. Lemma surface indumented. Lemma apex lobed, awned, 1 -awned.
Median (principal) awn from a sinus, 15–20 mm long overall, with a twisted
column. Palea absent. Lodicules present. Anthers 3. Grain 2.5–2.8 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria.
Queensland:
Burnett, Darling Downs, Leichhardt, Moreton, North Kennedy, Port Curtis, South
Kennedy, Warrego, Wide Bay. New South Wales: North Coast, Central Coast,
South Coast, Northern Tablelands, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands,
North-Western Slopes, Central-Western Slopes. Victoria: East Gippsland.
Notes.
Found east of 148°E in southern Qld, N.S.W. and northern Vic. on stony skeletal
soils on hillslopes and granite outcrops but also on flat to undulating ground.
Flowers Sept.--Apr.
