Zuloagaea bulbosa*

Zuloagaea bulbosa* (Kunth) Bess, Syst. Bot. 31(4): 666 (2006)

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Paniceae.

Common name: Bulbous Panic, Texas Grass

Basionym and/or
Replacement Name:
 Panicum
bulbosum
H. B. & K., Nov. Gen. Sp. 1: 99 (1815).

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information
: HT: F.W.H.A. von Humboldt & A.J.A. Bonpland
4250
, Sep, Mexico: Guanajuato:
Santa Rosa
(P-Bonpl.; IT: US-2907467 (fragm. & photo ex P)).

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:
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales
, 4th edn (314 as Panicum).

Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes absent or present. Stolons absent. Culms erect, 30–150 cm
tall, 3–8 -noded. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Mid-culm nodes glabrous.
Lateral branches sparsely branched. Leaf-sheaths smooth or antrorsely scabrous.
Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane,
0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, 20–60 cm long, 3–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade
surface smooth or scabrous.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle ovate, 12–50 cm long, evenly
furnished or with spikelets clustered towards branch tips.

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 or oblong,
dorsally compressed, 3–4.2 mm long. Rhachilla internodes brief up to lowest
fertile floret.

Glumes. Glumes
thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, membranous, without keels, 3
-nerved. Lower glume apex muticous. Upper glume elliptic or ovate, 3–3.5 mm
long, membranous, without keels, 5 -nerved. Florets. Basal sterile
florets 1, male or barren, with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 100 % of
length of spikelet, membranous, 5 -nerved, muticous or mucronate.

Fertile lemma 2.8–4 mm
long, without keel. Lemma apex muticous. Anthers 3.

Continental
Distribution
: Australasia, North America, and South
America.

Australian
Distribution
: New South Wales.

New
South Wales
: North Coast, Central
Coast, Central-Western
Slopes.

Notes.
The obscurely transverse rugose or wrinkled surface of the upper floret is very
unusual for Panicum.

Introduced; Native to
semi-arid regions of SW United States where it
is occasionally cultivated as a forage species. In temperate wet sclerophyll
forests, dry sclerophyll forests, temperate sub-humid woodlands, and semi-arid
shrub woodlands. Flowers Nov.-Apr.


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