Common name: Narrow-leafed Carpet Grass
Axonopus fissifolius (Raddi) Kuhlm. APNI* Synonyms: Axonopus affinis Chase APNI*
Description: Glabrous rhizomatous and stoloniferous perennial to 0.5 m high forming dense mats; nodes glabrous.
Leaves with sheath conspicuously compressed and strongly keeled, smooth; ligule a densely and minutely ciliolate rim; blade 2–6 mm wide, flat or folded, often keeled.
Inflorescence of usually 2 or 3 (rarely to 5) erect or spreading spikes on a short common axis. Spikes 4–10 cm long, rachis 0.5–0.75 mm wide, with narrow wings; pedicels partly fused to the rachis. Spikelets 2 mm long and c. 0.8 mm wide. Upper glume and sterile lemma membranous on the back, both 4-nerved with 2 nerves on each side close to the margins, the outer often faint or obscure. Fertile floret subequal to the spikelet, the lemma and palea thinly crustaceous, very minutely punctulate-striolate.
Flowering: during warmer months.
Distribution and occurrence: A lawn species, also naturalized in run-down pastures on alluvial soils. Native of Amer.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC, *NT, *CT, *ST, *NWP, *SWP
Other Australian states: *Qld
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & C. A. Wall
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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