Yakirra pauciflora (R.Br.) Lazarides
& R.D.Webster. Brunonia 7: 294 (1984).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Panicum
pauciflorum R. Br., Prodr. 191 (1810).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: R. Brown s.n., 1803, Australia: Northern
Territory: Darwin & gulf
Distr.: North Coast,
Gulf of Carpenteria (BM(fragm., US-80903); IT:
B, E, K, MEL, P).
Recent synonyms: Ichnanthus pauciflorus (R.Br.) Hughes.
Key references
(books and floras): [1810]. R.Brown, Prodromus (191 as Panicum
pauciflorum), [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (483 as Panicum
pauciflorum), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia.
Derivation:
from the Latin paucus (few) and flos (flower). Spikelets few per
inflorescence.
Habit. Annual.
Culms erect, 31–75 cm tall, 4–8 -noded. Mid-culm internodes hollow or solid or
spongy. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Lateral branches sparsely branched. Ligule a
fringe of hairs, 0.5–2 mm long. Leaf-blades flat or involute, 4–20 cm long,
1.5–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth or scabrous, glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle ovate, 3–12 cm long, evenly
furnished.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 2-flowered, the lower floret barren
(rarely male), the upper fertile, comprising 1 basal sterile florets,
comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without rachilla extension, oblanceolate or
elliptic or oblong, dorsally compressed, 3.7–5.2 mm long. Rhachilla internodes
elongated between glumes.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, membranous, without
keels, 5–7 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate or elliptic, 3.6–5.1 mm long,
membranous, without keels, 7 -nerved. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1,
barren, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 100 % of
length of spikelet, membranous, 7 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 2.6–3.6
mm long, without keel. Lodicules present. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.
Western Australia: Gardner, Dampier. Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf, Victoria
River, Barkly Tableland. Queensland:
Burke, Mitchell, Cook.
Notes.
The range in morphological variation in this species is poorly understood and
more collections are needed. It intergrades with Y. masjusculum on
spikelet length and some specimens intergrade with Y. australiensis.
In tropical and
subtropical sub-humid woodlands, arid and semi-arid low woodlands, and tropical
sub-humid grasslands. Flowers Feb.-June.
