Derivation
Yakirra Lazarides & R.D.Webster, Brunonia 7: 292 (1985); Yakirra: aboriginal name for some of the species.

pauciflora- from the Latin paucus (few) and flos (flower). Spikelets few per inflorescence.

Published in
Brunonia 7: 294 (1984).

Common synonyms
Ichnanthus pauciflorus (R.Br.) Hughes
Panicum pauciflorum R.Br.

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. Collar glabrous. Leaf-blades flat or involute, 4–20 cm long, 1.5–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth or scabrous, glabrous or hairy.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle, exserted. Panicle open, ovate, 3–12 cm long, evenly furnished. Primary panicle branches 2–6 cm long, bearing 2–8 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle axis smooth or scabrous or retrorsely scabrous. Panicle branches smooth or scabrous.

Spikelets
Spikelets solitary. Pedicels 3–20 mm long. Fertile spikelets 2-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, lower floret sterile, upper fertile, without rhachilla extension, oblanceolate or elliptic or oblong, dorsally compressed, 3.7–5.2 mm long, 1.1–1.8 mm wide, falling entire, readily shedding fertile florets. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes. Floret callus evident, winged, with free apical wings, truncate.

Glumes
Glumes dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, 2–3.1 mm long, 50–60% of length of spikelet, membranous, 5–7-nerved. Lower glume surface smooth. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate or elliptic, 3.6–5.1 mm long, 100% of length of spikelet, membranous, 7-nerved. Upper glume apex acute or acuminate.

Florets
Basal sterile floret 1, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume, elliptic or oblong, 3.7–5.2 mm long, equalling spikelet, membranous, 7-nerved, acute or acuminate. Fertile lemma elliptic or ovate, 2.6–3.6 mm long, indurate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse or acute. Palea involute, 100% of length of lemma, indurate. Palea apex obtuse. Anthers 3, 1–1.5 mm long.

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.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Panicoideae: Paniceae

Notes
Native. In tropical and subtropical sub-humid woodlands, arid and semi-arid low woodlands, and tropical sub-humid grasslands. Flowers Feb.–June.