Ectrosia scabrida C. E. Hubbard. Hooker's
Icon. Pl. ser. 5, 4 t. 3312: 6–7 (1936).
Classification.
(GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Australia: between Fitzaurice and Victoria Rivers,
Oct 1855, Mueller.
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (88), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of
Central Australia (460), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass,
Grasses of Australia.
Habit. Annual.
Culms erect or geniculately ascending, stature slender to delicate, 6–40 cm
tall, 2–3 -noded. Lateral branches simple. Leaf-sheaths smooth, glabrous on
surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat or convolute, 6–12 cm long,
0.7–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous, glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle oblong, 2.5–9 cm long, 2.5–3 cm
wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (2–5(-6)), comprising 2–5(–6) fertile floret(s), with diminished
florets at the apex, linear or oblong or ovate, laterally compressed, 5–11.7 mm
long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper
glume lanceolate, 2.4–3.6 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1–3 -nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 2.1–4.3(–5.6) mm long, keeled, 3 -nerved. Lemma surface glabrous.
Lemma apex awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn 1.5–5 mm long overall. Palea
2 -nerved. Anthers 3. Grain 1–1.8 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.
Western Australia:
Gardner, Hall, Dampier. Mueller. Northern Territory: Barkly Tableland,
Central Australia North. Queensland: Burke, Cook.
Notes.
Endemic; Drier areas across northern Australia between 15°S and 22°S. Usually
on heavier textured soils than other Ectrosia species, in or beside
watercourses and gilgais, often with Melaleuca sp., but also in sand.
