Common name: Creeping Beard Grass
Oplismenus imbecillis (R.Br.) Roem. & Schult. APNI* Synonyms: Oplismenus hirtellus var. imbecillis APNI*
Description: Weak trailing perennial to 0.3 m high.
Leaves with ligule c. 3 mm long, membranous at the base, dividing into cilia; blade to 7 mm wide, with fine hairs, midrib narrow, whitish on the lower surface, 10–15 fine nerves either side of it.
Panicle with racemes rarely > 1.5 cm long, the main axis usually glabrous except at the nodes, the rachis of the racemes often with long fine hairs near the base of the spikelets. Spikelets 2–3 mm long, scarcely compressed. Lower glume shorter than the spikelet, lower 3-nerved, terminating in a slender awn up to 2.5 times as long as the spikelet; upper equal in length, 5–7-nerved, obtuse. Lower lemma the length of the spikelet, 7-nerved, embracing the fertile floret; palea shorter than the lemma, or reduced or absent. Upper lemma c. 2 mm long, lanceolate.
Flowering: most of the year.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in shady forest.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, NWS, CWS, LHI
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. N.T.
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & S. M. Hastings
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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