Chionachne cyathopoda (F.Muell.) F.
Muell. ex Benth. Fl. Austral. 7: 516 (1878).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Sclerachne
cyathopoda F. Muell., Fragm. 8: 116 (1873).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: LT: F. von Mueller s.n., Dec 1855,
Australia: Northern Territory: Victoria River, Sandy Island (MELB; ILT: K, L
(fragm.)). LT designated by Henrard, Meded. Rijks-Herb. 67: 12, 17 (1931).
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (516),
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (356),
[2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia.
Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (355,
Pl. 103), [1983] J.C.Tothill & J.B.Hacker, Grasses of Southern
Queensland (152).
Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes present, elongated. Culms erect, stature reed-like, 200–400
cm tall. Mid-culm nodes glabrous or pubescent. Lateral branches simple or
sparsely branched. Leaves cauline. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate
membrane, 1–1.5 mm long, membranous. Leaf-blades 13–60 cm long, 10–30 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, composed of rames. Rhachis fragile at the nodes.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Companion spikelets pedicelled, 1 in the
cluster. Male spikelets sessile and pedicelled, 2 in a cluster. Companion
spikelets rudimentary, 1 mm long. 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, oblong,
dorsally compressed, 15 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, indurate, keeled,
2-keeled, winged on keel. Upper glume ovate, cartilaginous. Florets.
Basal sterile florets 1, barren, without significant palea. Lemma of lower
sterile floret hyaline, 3 -nerved. Fertile florets female.
Fertile lemma 8–12 mm
long, without keel, 1 -nerved. Palea 2 -nerved. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Tropical Asia and Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.
Western Australia:
Gardner, Dampier. Northern Territory: Victoria River. Queensland:
Burke, Burnett, Cook, Darling Downs, Leichhardt, Moreton, North Kennedy, Port
Curtis, South Kennedy, Wide Bay.
Notes. New
Guinea and tropical Australia to subtropical Qld. Found on stream banks or
wetter sites on sandy or loamy soils. Eaten to some extent by stock, although
coarse. Flowers all year but mainly Feb.--July.
