Common name: Parramatta Grass
Sporobolus africanus (Poir.) Robyns & Tournay APNI* Synonyms: Sporobolus indicus var. capensis Engl. APNI*
Description: Tufted perennials usually <1 m tall. Culms erect, ribbed, glabrous; nodes ribbed, glabrous.
Sheaths ribbed, glabrous, tightly enclosing culm, becoming loose with age, upper margin ciliate with hairs to 0.5 mm long; ligule a ciliate rim with hairs to 0.5 mm long; blade 4–18 cm long, to 5 mm wide, ribbed, glabrous.
Inflorescence spicate, 10–18 cm long, axis ribbed, glabrous, visible only for lower 30% of inflorescence length; branches stiff, appressed; lowest branches to 2.5 cm long, upper branches to 1 cm long; pedicels to 1.5 mm long, glabrous, sometimes scabrous. Spikelets 2–2.5 mm long, usually dark green, florets 1. Lower glume elliptic to lanceolate, 0.5–1 mm long, acute, hyaline, glabrous; upper glume lanceolate, 1–1.5 mm long, acute to acuminate, 1-nerved, hyaline. Lemma lanceolate, 1.5–2.5 mm long, subulate to acute, 1-nerved; palea lanceolate to elliptic, subequal to lemma, acute, 2-nerved.
Distribution and occurrence: Occurs in NFWP; Qld, N.Terr., S.A., W.A.. Weeds of disturbed areas and pastoral areas with summer rainfall.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC, *NT, *CT, *ST, *NWS, *CWS, *SWP, *LHI
Other Australian states: *Qld *Vic. *N.T. *S.A. *W.A.
Text by Jacobs, S.W.L., Whalley, R.D.B. & Wheeler, D.J.B. Description re-entered by K.L. Gibbons, 10 May 2021 as previous description on this page was enetered in error. Blade length increased to 18 cm in line with Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Sporobolus%20africanus [Date Accessed: 24 May 2021]
Taxon concept: Grasses of New South Wales, Fourth Edition (2008); Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Sporobolus%20africanus [Date Accessed: 24 May 2021]
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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