Bothriochloa insculpta* (A.Rich.) A. Camus.
Ann. Soc. Linn. Lyon 76: 165 (1931).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Micraireae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Andropogon
insculptus Hochst. ex A. Rich. Tent. Fl. Abyss. 2: 458 (1850).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: LT: Schimper, pl. Schimp. Abyss., sect. I, 80,
22 Sep 1837, Ethiopia: Tigray, Scholoda (US-76201 (fragm.); ILT: K, US-925384,
US-1093899 (ex BM), WAG). LT designated (as holotype) by Marchi &
Longhi-Wagner, Bol. Inst. Bioci. 57: 38 (1998). ST: Quartin-Dillon
s.n., Crescit in montosis provinciae Chiré.
Key references
(books and floras): [1969] E.E.Henty, Manual Grasses New Guinea
(36), [1980] M.Lazarides, Tropical Grasses S.E.Asia (24), [2002] D.Sharp
& B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia, [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs,
R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (169).
Illustrations:
[1983] J.C.Tothill & J.B.Hacker, Grasses of Southern Queensland
(128(6)), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of
New South Wales, 4th edn (169).
Habit.
Perennial. Stolons absent or present. Culms geniculately ascending or decumbent
or prostrate or sprawling, 25–200 cm tall. Lateral branches simple or branched.
Ligule an eciliate membrane, 2 mm long. Leaf-blades 4–30 cm long, 2–8 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence subdigitate, with ramose branches. Racemes 2–8 cm long. Central
inflorescence axis 0–3 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Companion spikelets pedicelled, 1 in the
cluster. Companion spikelets developed, comprising 2 subequal glumes without
lemmas or containing empty lemmas or male, 3.5–5 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, elliptic, dorsally compressed, 3–5 mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma, shiny. Lower glume lanceolate,
cartilaginous, without keels, 11–13 -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous or indumented.
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, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn apical, 15–25
mm long overall, with a twisted column. Palea absent.
Continental
Distribution: Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia,
and South America.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland, NSW
Queensland:
Moreton, Port Curtis, Wide Bay, Darling Downs.
Notes. Tropical
Africa, Yemen and India. Introduced to Australia where it is highly valued as a
forage grass, especially cvs. Hatch and Bisset. It has become naturalised in
central coastal and SE Qld. Flowers Nov.--Jan.
