Sporobolus coromandelianus* (Retz) Kunth. Rev. Gram. 1: 68 (1829).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Basionym and/or Replacement Name: Agrostis coromandeliana Retz., Observ. Bot. 4: 19 (1786).
Type of Basionym or Protologue Information: India: Malabar: Naguhr, propre Sammelliota (?), 1782, C.D.E. Koenig s.n. (HT: LD; IT: BM, BRI, K).
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.
Illustrations: [2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3 (Fig. 58G-L).
Habit. Annual or ephemeral. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 7–30 cm tall. Lateral branches simple or sparsely branched. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.35–1 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, flat, 2–11 cm long, 2–5 mm wide.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle ovate, 2–8 cm long.
Spikelets. Spikelets sessile or pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without rachilla extension, lanceolate, terete, 1–1.6 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes dissimilar. Lower glume elliptic or ovate, hyaline, without keels, 0 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate or oblong, 1–1.6 mm long, membranous, without keels, 1 -nerved. Upper glume surface smooth or asperulous.
Florets. Fertile lemma 1–1.6 mm long, without keel, 1–3 -nerved. Palea 2 -nerved. Palea apex entire. Anthers 3. Grain 0.7–0.9 mm long.
Continental Distribution: Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, and Australasia.
Australian Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.
Western Australia: Gardner. Fortescue, Carnarvon. Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf. Queensland: Burke, Cook, Darling Downs, Gregory North, Maranoa, North Kennedy, Port Curtis, South Kennedy.
Notes. Superficially close to S. australasicus, differing by the spikelets being arranged towards the apices of the panicle branches.
Introduced; isolated occurrence in subtropical and tropical Australia; New Guinea, southern Africa, Eastern Asia, and the Pacific region. Mostly collected as a weed of gardens and roadsides and appears to be spreading; flowers Jan.-June, Aug., Oct., Dec.
