Cymbopogon gratus Domin. Biblioth.
Bot. 85: 274 (1915).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: Domin II.1910, Australia: northern
Queensland (PR).
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect, stature robust to moderate, 35 cm tall, 1–2 -noded.
Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an
eciliate membrane, 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, 10–20 cm long, 2–4 mm wide.
Leaf-blade surface scaberulous, glabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, composed of rames. Central inflorescence axis 7–20 cm
long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Companion spikelets pedicelled, 1 in the
cluster. Basal sterile spikelets absent. Companion spikelets developed,
comprising 2 subequal glumes without lemmas, 3–3.5 mm long. Companion spikelet
glumes muticous. 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 or ovate, dorsally
compressed, 4.5 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, chartaceous,
keeled, 2-keeled, 3 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate, keeled, 1-keeled. Florets.
Basal sterile florets 1, barren, without significant palea. Lemma of lower
sterile floret hyaline.
Fertile lemma without
keel. Lemma apex entire or lobed, muticous. Palea absent. Anthers 3. Grain 2 mm
long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland.
Queensland:
Cook, Burke, Port Curtis.
Notes.
Regarded by Blake (Proc. Roy. Soc Qld 80: 70 (1969)) as a hybrid between
C. refractus and C. bombycinus but Soenarko in Reinwardtia 9: 295
(1977) regards there is insufficient evidence for this claim.
Known only from three
areas of Qld. Flowers Feb.--Mar.
