Schismus arabicus* Nees. Fl. Afr. Austr. 422 (1841).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Danthonioideae. Tribe
Danthonieae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Egypt: Arabia petraea, Chabba, in valle Hamme, 21
March 1835, Schimper 391 (HT: W; IT: L, M).
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (60), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of
Central Australia (440), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of Australia, [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses
of South Australia (312).
Illustrations:
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (312, fig. 244).
Habit. Annual.
Culms decumbent, 3–20 cm tall. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform
or aciculate, flat or convolute, 1.5–15 cm long, 0.5–2 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle lanceolate or elliptic or ovate, 1–5
cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (5–8), comprising 5–8 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the
apex, oblong, laterally compressed, 5–7 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate,
membranous, without keels, 5–7 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, 5–7 mm long,
membranous, without keels, 3–5 -nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 1.6–3.3 mm long, without keel, 7–9 -nerved. Lemma surface
indumented. Lemma apex lobed, muticous or mucronate. Median (principal) awn
from a sinus. Palea 2 -nerved. Lodicules present. Anthers 3. Grain 0.8–0.9 mm
long.
Continental
Distribution: Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia,
North America, and South America.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, South Australia.
Western Australia:
Carnarvon, Austin. Coolgardie. South Australia: Lake Eyre, Nullabor,
Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula.
Notes.
S. arabicus is introduced from North Africa, and is very similar to S.
barbatus, but differs by a lemma deeply divided into two acuminate lobes.
Flowers
Sep. (Australia).
