Alopecurus myosuroides* Huds. Fl.
Angl. 23 (1762).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae.
Tribe Poeae.
Common name:
Slender Foxtail, Blackgrass, Black Twitch.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: In arvis et ad vias, Hudson s.n..
Recent synonyms:
A. agrestis L.
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (145 as A. agrestis), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of Australia, [2002] J.Wheeler, N.Marchant & M.Lewington, Flora
of the South West (397), [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses
of South Australia (191), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler,
Grasses of New South Wales (115), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of
Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (256).
Illustrations:
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (192, fig. 141), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs,
R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn
(115), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae 2
(232, Fig.32), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses
of New South Wales, 4th edn (115).
Derivation: Gk.
mys, mouse; ourus, tail; -oides, resemblance. Inflorescence
resembling the tail of a mouse.
Habit. Annual.
Culms erect or geniculately ascending or decumbent, 18–80 cm tall. Ligule an
eciliate membrane, 2–5 mm long, truncate. Leaf-blades 3–16 cm long, 2–8 mm
wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle linear, 2–12 cm long, 0.3–0.6 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1 or more flowered, with 1 fertile
floret, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without rachilla extension, oblong,
laterally compressed, 4.5–7 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume lanceolate or oblong or ovate, membranous or coriaceous,
keeled, 1-keeled, winged on keel, winged narrowly, 3 -nerved. Lower glume
surface indumented. Upper glume lanceolate or oblong or ovate, 4.5–7 mm long,
membranous or coriaceous, keeled, 1-keeled, winged on keel, 3 -nerved. Upper
glume surface indumented.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 4.5–7 mm long, keeled, 4–7 -nerved. Lemma apex entire, awned, 1
-awned. Median (principal) awn dorsal, 8–14 mm long overall, with a straight or
slightly twisted column or with a twisted column. Palea absent. Lodicules
absent or vestigial. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia,
North America, and South America.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, New South
Wales, Tasmania.
Western Australia:
Drummond. South Australia: South-eastern. Queensland: Darling
Downs, Moreton. New South Wales: North Coast, Central Tablelands,
Central-Western Slopes. Tasmania: East Coast.
Notes. Minor weed species.
Introduced. Native of Europe.
Weed of cultivated or disturbed ground.
