Cymbopogon procerus (R.Br.) Domin

Domin, K. (1914) Bibliotheca Botanica 20(85): 273.

Lemon grass

Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect, 55-60 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent.

Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, auricles absent, or erect. Ligule an eciliate membranel, 1.9-9 mm long and membranous. Leaf-blades filiform to linear, 20-35 cm long and 1-2 mm wide, aromatic. Leaf-blade surface scabrous, glabrous with the leaf-blade apex attenuate.

Synflorescence compound; linear, or paniculate, 10-20 cm long, dense. Inflorescence composed of terminal and axillary racemes subtended by a spatheole. Spatheole elliptic, 4-9 cm long, chartaceous, glabrous. Racemes 2, erect, 1.5-2 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes, semiterete, villous on surface. Rhachis internodes linear with the rhachis internode tip transverse, cupuliform. Raceme-bases flattened and subequal. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear, semiterete, villous. Basal sterile spikelets absent. Companion sterile spikelets well-developed comprising of 2 subequal glumes without lemmas, linear, 3-4 mm long, deciduous with the fertile, glumes chartaceous, 7 -veined, glabrous, acute, muticous. Fertile spikelets comprising of a basal sterile floret and a fertile floret; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or ovate, dorsally compressed, 5.5-6.5 mm long; falling entire, deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus base obtuse, inserted. Glumes dissimilar, exceeding apex of florets, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, or ovate, equalls length of spikelet, chartaceous, 2-keeled, keeled laterally, narrowly winged on keel. Lower glume with intercarinal veins distinct, 3-4 in number. Lower glume surface flat, or concave, impressed below. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate, keeled. Upper glume apex acute. Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret hyaline. Fertile lemma lanceolate, hyaline, without keel. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

Caryopsis with adherent pericarp, oblanceolate, isodiametric, 2 mm long.

Features not available.

Occurs in WA, NT and CYP. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 240 m. Grows in open Eucalypt forest, various types of woodland and on coastal dunes. Also from the east coast of Timor.