Common name: Broad-leafed Carpet Grass
Axonopus compressus (Sw.) P.Beauv. APNI*
Description: Rhizomatous and stoloniferous perennial to 0.6 m high; stolons compressed and angular, deeply furrowed along 1 edge; nodes ± densely villous.
Leaves with sheath conspicuously compressed and strongly keeled, smooth, striate, glabrous or somewhat hirsute; ligule a firmly membranous, minutely ciliolate rim; blade 4–10 mm wide, flat or folded, often slightly plicate.
Inflorescence of 2 or 3 (rarely 5) erect or spreading spikes on a short common axis. Spikes 4–10 cm long, rachis < 1 mm wide, with narrow wings. Spikelets 2.2–2.5 mm long and 1–1.5 mm wide. Upper glume and sterile lemma membranous on the back, the glume 4- or 5-nerved, the lemma 4-nerved. Fertile floret distinctly shorter than the spikelet, 1.8–2 mm long, the lemma and palea thinly crustaceous, very minutely punctulate-striolate.
Flowering: summer.
Distribution and occurrence: A lawn species, and also grows in shaded moist grassland; north from Kempsey. Native of Amer.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *LHI
Other Australian states: *Qld *W.A.
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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