Schizachyrium occultum S. T. Blake. Contr.
Queensland
Herb. 17: 24 (1974).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: S.T. Blake 21283, 22 May 1962, Australia: Queensland: Cook District: Cooktown, damp
sandy ground in Eucalyptus forest, green to reddish tufts (BRI; IT: L,
MO-3748788).
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Habit. Annual.
Culms stature slender to delicate, 10–30 cm tall, 0.3–0.5 mm diam., 8–12
-noded. Lateral branches branched. Leaf-sheaths smooth. Ligule an eciliate
membrane, 0.15–0.25 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate or convolute, 1.5–3.5 cm
long, 0.6–2 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid or compound, a rame, a panicle of rames. Rhachis fragile at
the nodes.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Companion spikelets pedicelled, 1 in the
cluster. Companion spikelets rudimentary, comprising 2 unequal glumes without
lemmas, 0.9–1.2 mm long. Companion spikelet glumes awned. 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 ovate, laterally compressed, 3.75–5.1 mm
long.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, chartaceous,
keeled, 2-keeled, wingless. Lower glume surface indumented. Upper glume
lanceolate, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled. Upper glume surface indumented. Upper
glume apex mucronate. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, barren, without
significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 100 % of length of spikelet,
hyaline, 0 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 3–3.5 mm
long, without keel, 1 -nerved. Lemma apex lobed, awned, 1 -awned. Median
(principal) awn from a sinus, 9–13 mm long overall, with a twisted column.
Column 4–5 mm long. Palea absent. Grain 2.6–3 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian Distribution:
Northern Territory, Queensland.
Northern Territory: Darwin &
Gulf. Queensland:
Cook, North Kennedy.
Notes. An
annual found in sandy soils of northern Qld and one record from Maria Is.,
N.T., usually associated with other Schizachyrium species. Flowers
Mar.--Aug.
