Sporobolus lenticularis S. T. Blake. Univ. Qld Pap. Dept. Biol. 1(18): 3 (1941).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Type of Basionym or Protologue Information: HT: S.T. Blake 13384, 25 Mar 1938, Australia: Queensland, Cook Dist.: near Mareeba (BRI; IT: BRI, DNA, MEL, US-1819364).
Key references (books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia.
Illustrations: [2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3 (Fig. 57H-M).
Habit. Annual or ephemeral. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 20–60 cm tall, 3–7 -noded. Lateral branches simple or sparsely branched or branched. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane or a fringe of hairs, 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades linear or lanceolate, flat or conduplicate or involute, 5–17 cm long, 2–4 mm wide.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle oblong or ovate, 3–17 cm long, 3–4 cm wide, with spikelets clustered towards branch tips.
Spikelets. Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without rachilla extension, elliptic, terete, 1.5–1.9 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes dissimilar. Lower glume lanceolate or ovate, membranous, without keels, 0 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate or ovate, 1.4–1.9 mm long, membranous, without keels, 1 -nerved.
Florets. Fertile lemma 1.5–1.9 mm long, without keel, 1 -nerved. Palea 2 -nerved. Palea apex entire. Anthers 3. Grain 1.5 mm long.
Continental Distribution: Australasia.
Australian Distribution: Northern Territory, Queensland.
Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf. Queensland: Cook, North Kennedy.
Notes. An attractive rare species with whorled infloresence branches and reddish spikelets. Similar to S. pulchellus from which it differs by having larger spikelets and the grain being lenticular.
Endemic; mainly coastal tropical Qld and N.T. Collections indicate that it is found mainly on sand dune coastal woodland, but also in the highlands on red-brown earths; flowers Feb.-Aug.
