Urochloa holosericea (R. Br.) R.D.
Webster. Bull. Misc. Inform. 315 (1923).
Classification.
(GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Panicum
holosericeum R. Br., Prodr. 190 (1810).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: R. Brown 6094, Australia: Northern
Territory: Gulf of Carpentaria
(BM; IT: K, LE, P).
Recent synonyms:
Brachiaria holosericea.
Key references
(books and floras): [1810]. R.Brown, Prodromus (190 as Panicum
holosericeum), [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae
(235 as Brachiaria), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of
Central Australia (475 as Brachiaria), [2002] D.Sharp &
B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia (as Brachiaria), [2008]
S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales.
Habit. Annual.
Rhizomes absent. Stolons absent. Culms erect, 15–70 cm tall. Mid-culm
internodes pubescent. Mid-culm nodes pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs.
Leaf-blades linear or lanceolate, flat or conduplicate, 1–8 cm long, 2–7 mm
wide. Leaf-blade surface indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle of racemes. Racemes 4–6, 0.8–3.5 cm long, 2–4
mm wide. Central inflorescence axis 3–12 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. 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, elliptic, dorsally
compressed, 2.5–3.3 mm long. Rhachilla internodes brief up to lowest fertile
floret.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous,
without keels, 3 -nerved. Lower glume surface indumented. Upper glume elliptic,
2.4–3.3 mm long, membranous, without keels, 5–7 -nerved. Upper glume surface
indumented. Upper glume apex muticous or mucronate. Florets. Basal
sterile florets 1, barren, with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 100 % of
length of spikelet, membranous, 5 -nerved, awned.
Fertile lemma 1.7–2.5
mm long, without keel. Lemma apex mucronate or awned. Palea without keels.
Grain 1.25–1.5 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Tropical Asia and Australasia.
Australian Distribution:
Western Australia, Northern
Territory, Queensland.
Western Australia: Gardner,
Fitzgerald, Dampier. Mueller, Canning, Fortescue, Carnarvon. Northern
Territory: Darwin & Gulf, Victoria River, Barkly Tableland, Central
Australia North. Queensland:
Burke, Cook, Gregory North, Mitchell, North Kennedy, South Kennedy.
Notes. Infra-specific taxa: subsp. holosericea, subsp. velutina.
Leaf blades not velutinous U. holosericea subsp. holosericea
Leaf blades velutinous U. holosericea subsp. velutina.
