Elytrophorus spicatus explained

Elytrophorus spicatus (common name spikegrass) is a small plant in the Poaceae family native to Africa, the Indian subcontinent, south-east Asia and Australia.[1]

Description

Elytrophorus spicatus is a tufted, annual or perennial plant with bristly culms. The leaves are loosely sheathed, and the blades are rolled in bud. The inflorescence spike (length of up to 26 cm by 5–9 mm wide) consists of globular clusters of spikelets, which are 4 mm long, with bisexual florets. The glumes are shortly awned, about 2 to 3 mm long, and have translucent margins translucent which are sparingly fringed with hairs. The awn and keel are rough. The plant flowers in response to flooding or rain.[2]

Distribution

It is native to Bangladesh, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Cameroon, Chad, China, East Himalaya, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Hainan, India, Ivory Coast, Lesser Sunda Is., Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Australia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Australia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Vietnam, Himalaya, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Habitat

It is found in damp soil along creeks, in damp hollows, in seepages,[3] and in and near water.

Taxonomy

It was first described as Dactylis spicata by Carl Ludwig Willdenow in 1801.[4] It was assigned to the genus, Elytrophorus, by Aimée Antoinette Camus in 1923.[5]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Elytrophorus spicatus (Willd.) A.Camus Plants of the World Online Kew Science. 2020-06-29. Plants of the World Online.
  2. Web site: S. W. L. Jacobs & K. L. McClay. 1993. PlantNET - FloraOnline: Elytrophorus spicatus. 2020-06-29. plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au.
  3. Book: Linder, H.P. . 2020. Elytrophorus spicatus. Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. Canberra. https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Elytrophorus%20spicatus. 30 June 2020.
  4. Willdenow, C.L.. 1801. Einige seltene Gewachse. Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin. Neue Schriften. 3. 416.
  5. Camus, A.A.. 1923. E. spicatus. Flore Generale de l'Indo-Chine. 7. 547. Lecomte, P.H..