Common name: Hardgrass
Sclerochloa dura (L.) P.Beauv. APNI* 
Description: Tufted annual to 0.3 m high; sheaths tightly enclosing culm, becoming loose with age.
Leaves with sheath smooth, glabrous; ligule membranous, 1–2 mm long, acute; blade to 0.3 mm wide, smooth, glabrous, margins scabrous.
Inflorescence spicate, 1-sided, ± distichous, 1–3.5 cm long, to 1 cm wide, partly enclosed in uppermost sheath; rachis smooth, glabrous. Spikelets 6–8 mm long, to 2.5 mm wide, subsessile, florets 3–5, uppermost floret often reduced; rachilla smooth, glabrous, internodes 1–2 mm long. Glumes unequal, smooth, glabrous, margins membranous; lower 1.5–2 mm long, 1–5-nerved, acute to obtuse; upper 3–5 mm long, 7–9-nerved, obtuse or emarginate. Lemmas 4–6 mm long, acute, keel sometimes scabrous, smooth, glabrous, margins membranous. Palea subequal to lemma.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in disturbed areas; south from Cooma area. Native of Eur.
NSW subdivisions: *ST
Other Australian states: *Vic. *Tas. *S.A.
Text by S. W. L Jacobs & K. L. McClay
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993); Jacobs, S.W.L., Whalley, R.D.B. & Wheeler, D.J.B. Grasses of New South Wales, Fourth Edition (2008).
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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