Common name: Drooping Lovegrass
Eragrostis leptocarpa Benth. APNI* 
Description: Tufted annual or perennial to c. 1 m high.
Leaves with orifice of lower leaves scattered with rigid hairs 1–2.5 mm long; ligule a ciliate rim < 0.5 mm long; blade flat or rolled, to 3 mm wide, scabrous, glabrous.
Inflorescence open, often lax, 6–45 cm long, 1–30 cm wide, partly enclosed in uppermost sheath till maturity; branches appressed at first, later spreading, lowest node usually with branches whorled; pedicels 0.5–5 mm long. Spikelets 4–8 mm long, to 1 mm wide, florets 6–12; rachilla persistent with lemma deciduous, paleas subpersistent. Glumes acute, smooth, glabrous, keel often scabrous; lower glume 0.5–1 mm long, upper 1–1.5 mm long. Lemmas 1.5–2 mm long, acute, smooth or scabrous, glabrous; keel often scabrous. Palea slightly shorter than lemma.
Flowering: in response to rain.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows on disturbed areas, floodways in drier areas.
NSW subdivisions: NC, NWP, SWP, NFWP
Other Australian states: Qld W.A. S.A. N.T.
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & K. L. McClay
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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