Panicum buncei F. Muell. ex Benth. Fl.
Austral. 7: 487 (1878).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Queensland. Bokhara Flats, Leichhardt.", Leichhardt
s.n..
Key references
(books and floras): [1878] G.Bentham, Flora Australiensis 7 (487),
[2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia, [2006]
J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (458),
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales.
Illustrations:
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (458, fig. 389), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs,
R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn
(314).
Habit. Perennial. Rhizomes present. Stolons absent. Culms erect, stature
slender to delicate, 30–80 cm tall, 3–6 -noded. Mid-culm internodes glabrous.
Mid-culm nodes glabrous or pubescent. Lateral branches simple or sparsely
branched. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface or hairy. Leaf-sheath auricles
absent. Ligule a fringed membrane, a ciliolate membrane, 0.75 mm long.
Leaf-blades linear, flat or conduplicate or involute, 5–20 cm long, 1.5–5 mm
wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle lanceolate, 7–30 cm long, evenly
furnished or with spikelets clustered towards branch tips.
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, lanceolate or
ovate, dorsally compressed, 3–4.5 mm long. Rhachilla internodes brief up to
lowest fertile floret, or elongated between glumes.
Glumes. Glumes
thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate or oblate, membranous, without
keels, 3–5(–7) -nerved. Lower glume apex muticous. Upper glume lanceolate or
ovate, 2.8–3.3 mm long, membranous, without keels, 5–9 -nerved. Florets.
Basal sterile florets 1, barren, with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 100
% of length of spikelet, membranous, 7–9 -nerved, muticous or mucronate.
Fertile lemma 1.5–2 mm
long, without keel, 7 -nerved. Lemma apex muticous. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales.
South Australia:
Southern Lofty. Queensland: Burnett, Darling Downs, Gregory North,
Leichhardt, Maranoa, Mitchell, Moreton, Port Curtis, Warrego, Burke, Gregory
South. New South Wales: North-Western Slopes, Central-Western Slopes,
North-Western Plains, South-Western Plains.
Notes.
Diagnostic features of this distinctive species include the very short upper
floret (c. 1/2 spikelet length) and the inflated base on the lower glume.
In Brigalow forests,
temperate sub-humid woodlands, and semi-arid shrub woodlands. Occurs in the
Brigalow forests and clay soil regions of N.S.W. and Qld. Flowers Mar.-July.
