Cenchrus basedowii (Summerhayes &
C.E.Hubb.) Morrone, Ann. Bot. 106: 127 (2010).
Classification.
(GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Pennisetum
basedowii Summerhayes & C.E.Hubb., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1926:
440 (1926).
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (280), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon as Cenchrus, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia as Cenchrus.
Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (279,
Pl. 80 as Cenchrus).
Habit. Annual
or perennial. Rhizomes present. Stolons absent. Culms geniculately ascending,
10–70 cm tall. Lateral branches branched. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades
10–20 cm long, 5–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle oblong or ovate, 3–8 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles. 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, lanceolate, dorsally compressed, 6–7 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume lanceolate, 5–7 mm long, membranous,
without keels, 9–11 -nerved. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, barren,
without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 100 % of length of
spikelet, chartaceous, 7–9 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 6–7 mm
long, without keel, 5 -nerved. Anthers 3.
Continental Distribution:
Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.
Western Australia:
Gardner, Fitzgerald, Hall. Northern Territory: Barkly Tableland. Queensland:
Burke, Cook, Mitchell.
Notes. In
tropical and subtropical sub-humid woodlands, arid and semi-arid low woodlands,
acacia shrublands, and tropical sub-humid grasslands. Flowers Mar.-Aug.
