Spathia neurosa Ewart & Archer. Fl.Northern
Terr. 26 (1917).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: 30 miles S.E. of Newcastle Waters, ... 9/8/11, G.F.
Hill 504.
Key references
(books and floras): [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of
Central Australia (494), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of Australia.
Habit. Annual.
Culms 10–80 cm tall. Mid-culm nodes pubescent. Lateral branches branched.
Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane, 0.7–2.5 mm long. Leaf-blades
4.5–15 cm long, 1–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a rame. Rhachis fragile at the nodes.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Companion spikelets pedicelled, 1 in the
cluster. Basal sterile spikelets well-developed, 2 in number. Companion
spikelets developed, comprising 2 unequal glumes without lemmas, 5 mm long.
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, terete, 4–6.2 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate or elliptic or
oblong, coriaceous, without keels, 6–9 -nerved. Lower glume surface indumented.
Upper glume lanceolate, 5.5–6.2 mm long, coriaceous, keeled, 1-keeled, 3
-nerved. Upper glume surface indumented. Florets. Basal sterile florets
1, barren, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret hyaline, 0
-nerved.
Fertile lemma 1.8–4 mm
long, without keel, 1 -nerved. Lemma apex entire, awned, 1 -awned. Median
(principal) awn 19–33 mm long overall, with a twisted column. Palea absent.
Lodicules present. Anthers 3. Grain 1.5–2.8 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Northern Territory, Queensland.
Northern Territory:
Barkly Tableland, Central Australia North. Queensland: Burke, Gregory
North.
Notes.
Endemic to the black soils of NW Qld and central eastern N.T. Flowers Apr.-Aug.
