Derivation
Enteropogon Nees, in Lindl., Intr. Nat. Syst. Bot. 2nd edn, 448 (1836); from the Greek enteron (intestine) and pogon (a beard), perhaps alluding to the beards on the callus or in the axils of the spikes.

dolichostachyus- from the Greek dolichos (narrow) and stachys (ear of corn). Spikelets terete.

Published in
Austral. J. Bot. Supp. 5: 31 (1972).

Habit
Perennial, tufted. Culms geniculately ascending, robust, 60–100 cm tall. Lateral branches branched. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat or involute or convolute, 8–30 cm long, 2.5–8 mm wide, glaucous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence digitate, with spicate branches. Spikes 1–10, drooping, unilateral, 6.5–15(–20) cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis, regular, 2-rowed.

Spikelets
Spikelets appressed, solitary. Fertile spikelets at least 3-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, with diminished florets at the apex, elliptic, dorsally compressed, 4.5–5 mm long, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets disarticulating below each fertile floret. Spikelet callus 0.4–0.7 mm long. Floret callus evident, pilose, obtuse.

Glumes
Glumes persistent, dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma, gaping. Lower glume lanceolate, 1.5–3 mm long, 40% length of upper glume, membranous, 1-nerved, midnerve scaberulous. Lower glume lateral nerves absent. Lower glume apex acuminate, muticous or mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate, 3–6.5 mm long, 80% of length of adjacent fertile lemma, membranous, 1-nerved, midnerve scaberulous. Upper glume lateral nerves absent. Upper glume apex mucronate or awned.

Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic or oblong, dorsally compressed, 3.5–5.2 mm long, membranous or coriaceous, 3-nerved. Lemma midnerve scaberulous. Lemma lateral nerves excurrent. Lemma surface scaberulous, rough on nerves. Lemma apex entire, acuminate, 1-awned. Median (principal) awn filiform, 6.5–15 mm long overall, 200% of length of lemma. Palea 2-nerved. Palea keels scaberulous. Palea apex acute or acuminate. Apical sterile florets 1. Apical sterile florets lanceolate, 1 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas 1-awned. Anthers 3, 1.4 mm long. Grain with free soft pericarp, ellipsoid, flattened, concavo-convex.

Continental Distribution:
Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia.

Australian Distribution:
Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.

Western Australia: Gardner, Fitzgerald. Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf. Queensland: Cook, Leichhardt, South Kennedy.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Chloridoideae: Cynodonteae

Notes
Native. Sparsely recorded around the N coast, and on off-shore islands, from Cape Leveque in W.A. to Cooktown in Qld, and from Middle Percy Island, SE of Mackay; Philippine Islands, SE Asia, Papua, Timor. Usually found in shrubland on coastal sand dunes under Ficus or Melaleuca, or in vine thickets.

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