Cenchrus brevisetosus (B.K.Simon) B.K.Simon

Poaceae

Simon, B.K. (2010) Austrobaileya 8(2): 192.

Perennial. Culms robust, 60-150 cm long, with glabrous sunken ring at nodes. Stolons absent.

Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs 1-2 mm long. Leaf-blades 14-34 x 3.3-10.2 mm, surfaces pilose.

Panicle spiciform, linear, dense (internodes 1.2-2.8mm); 10.5-16 x 1.1-1.5 cm. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis with sessile scars on axis. Panicle axis angular and bearing deciduous spikelet clusters. Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile, 1-3 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; connate into a disc below, with 0.5 mm connate, oblong, 9.8-14 mm long; base truncate (0.5-0.8mm), glabrous. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; with an outer whorl of thinner bristles, 5-15 in a principal whorl; inner bristles longer than the outer and with one conspicuously longer bristle 6.2-11.4(-25) mm long; expanded (narrowly elliptic, 0.5mm wide), flexible, antrorsely scaberulous, glabrous or ciliate, attenuate. Fertile spikelets comprising of a basal sterile floret and a fertile floret and without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, dorsally compressed, acuminate, 5-7.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, 1-1.5 mm long; 0.2-0.3 times the length of the spikelet, membranous and 1 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate, 5-7.4 mm long, same length than spikelet, membranous, 3-5 -veined, apex acute. Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate, 5.5-7 mm long; equal length of spikelet, membranous, 3-5 -veined, acute. Fertile lemma ovate, 4.9-6.1 mm long, coriaceous, much thinner on the margins and 3 -veined. Lemma margins flat and the apex obtuse. Palea coriaceous.

Features not available.

Occurs in WA, NT and CYP. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 150 m. Grows on edges and in openings in rainforest, Eucalypt forest, vine thicket, woodland and wooded grassland.

C. brevisetosus is very similar to C. elymoides, differing that the outer bristle are very short outside the burr of flattened bristles.

Cenchrus elymoides var. brevisetosus B.K.Simon, Austrobaileya 2(1): 21(1984), Type: Queensland, Cook District: Cape York, Daemel (MEL sub MEL 604905, holotypus, photo in BRI).