Sporobolus scabridus

Sporobolus scabridus S. T. Blake. Pap. Dep. Biol. Univ. Qld 1 (18): 5 (1941).

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.

Type of Basionym or Protologue Information: HT: S.T. Blake 5861, 9 May 1934, Australia: Queensland: Darling Downs Dist.: Palardo (BRI; IT: BRI, CANB, L, US-1819191).

Key references (books and floras): [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of Central Australia (468), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia.

Illustrations: [2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3 (Fig. 57A-G).

Habit. Perennial. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 20–60 cm tall, 3–4 -noded. Lateral branches simple or sparsely branched. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous, glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.5–0.8 mm long. Leaf-blades straight, linear, flat, 6–14 cm long, 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous, glabrous or indumented.

Inflorescence. Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle ovate, loose, 4–16 cm long, contracted about secondary branches.

Spikelets. Spikelets sessile or pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without rachilla extension, lanceolate, terete, 1.1–2.2 mm long.

Glumes. Lower glume linear or lanceolate or elliptic, hyaline, without keels, 0 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate or ovate, 1–1.4 mm long, hyaline, without keels, 1 -nerved. Upper glume surface indumented.

Florets. Fertile lemma 1–1.4 mm long, without keel, 1 -nerved. Lemma surface glabrous or indumented. Palea 2 -nerved. Palea apex entire. Anthers 3. Grain 0.55–0.7 mm long.

Continental Distribution: Australasia.

Australian Distribution: Queensland.

Queensland: Darling Downs, Gregory North, Leichhardt, Maranoa, North Kennedy, Port Curtis, South Kennedy, Moreton, Gregory South, Warrego.

Notes. Differs from S. contiguus, S. actinocladus and S. partimpatens by the inflorescence being somewhat open as opposed to having the spikelets arranged in false spikes.

Endemic; fairly widespread in subtropical Qld. Grows in clay and loamy soil, particularly common in Brigalow (Acacia harpohylla) vegetation; flowers all year except Aug.

 

AVH 2011

 

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith