Oplismenus burmannii (Retz.) P.Beauv.
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Derivation
Oplismenus P.Beauv., Fl. Oware 2: 14 (1810); from the Greek hoplismenos
(armed), alluding to the awns.
burmannii- in honour of Nicolaus Lorenz Burmann (17341793). Dutch botanist.
Published in
Ess. Agrostogr. 54, 168, 169 (1812).
Habit
Annual. Culms prostrate, 1060 cm tall. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Ligule
a fringed membrane, 0.40.8 mm long. Collar glabrous. Leaf-blades lanceolate
or ovate, 110 cm long, 520 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with obscure
cross nerves. Leaf-blade surface smooth.
Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle of racemes. Racemes 38, unilateral,
0.52.5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 213 cm long. Rhachis
angular, pilose on surface. Spikelet packing imbricate or approximate.
Spikelets
Spikelets in pairs, subequal or the lower smaller. Pedicels oblong. Fertile
spikelets 2-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, lower floret sterile, upper
fertile, without rhachilla extension, lanceolate, laterally compressed, 23
mm long, falling entire.
Glumes
Glumes similar or dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate,
1.72.1 mm long, equalling upper glume, 5075% of length of spikelet,
herbaceous, 1-keeled, 35-nerved. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower
glume apex acute, awned. Lower glume awn 2.520 mm long, without vesture
(but scaberulous). Upper glume ovate, 1.72.2 mm long, herbaceous, 1-keeled,
37-nerved. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse, muticous
or awned. Upper glume awn 05 mm long.
Florets
Basal sterile floret 1, with palea or without significant palea. Lemma of lower
sterile floret ovate, 2.63.3 mm long, 100% of length of spikelet,
membranous, 1-keeled, 711-nerved, pubescent, without hair tufts or with
a transverse fringe of hairs or hair tufts, eciliate or ciliate on margins,
emarginate, mucronate or awned. Fertile lemma oblong, dorsally compressed, 22.7
mm long, coriaceous, glossy, 7-nerved. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute,
laterally pinched. Palea involute, coriaceous, without keels.
Continental Distribution:
Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia, Pacific, North America,
South America.
Australian Distribution:
Northern Territory, Queensland.
Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf. Queensland: Cook, North Kennedy.
Classification. (GPWG
2001):
Panicoideae: Paniceae
Notes
Native. A tropical species, occurring mainly in Africa and Asia. In tropical
and subtropical sub-humid woodlands and coastal grasslands. In Australia, it
is known from relatively few collections. Flowers Mar.Aug. Diagnostic
features include the scabrous awns.
Inflorescence and detail of inflorescence (scanned specimen)
© Queensland Herbarium
by Will Smith