Cynosurus echinatus L.
rough dogstail
Annuals, in tufts, or shoots solitary, 7-70-(110) cm. Leaf-sheath sub-membranous, smooth, or very minutely scabrid on ribs; upper sheaths ± inflated. Ligule (0.7)-2-6.5 mm, glabrous, rounded. Leaf-blade (2)-4-26 cm × 2-8 mm, abaxially mainly smooth, but finely scabrid on ribs above, adaxially finely scabrid on ribs, margins finely scabrid, tip finely tapered, acicular, scabrid. Culm 6-65-(100) cm, erect or geniculate at base, internodes glabrous. Panicle (1)-1.5-7.5 × (0.6)-1-4.5 cm, secund, spike-like, ovate to oblong or almost globose, bristly, shining; rachis and very short branches minutely scabrid-papillose on angles. ⚥ and Ø spikelets mixed together in dense clusters, green to purplish; occasionally pro-liferous: Ø spikelets 6-11 mm, persistent, obovate, of 9-14 narrow-lanceolate, finely scabrid, rigid, finely awn-tipped bracts, 6-8.5 mm, spreading at maturity; ⚥ spikelets 10-20 mm, 1-3-flowered, elliptic. Glumes persistent, ± equal and equalling spikelet, 1-nerved, hyaline, shining, narrow-lanceolate, midnerve and margins minutely scabrid, apex fine, acicular. Lemma 4-6.5 mm, faintly 5-nerved below, more obviously nerved above, submembranous, smooth in lower ½, scabrid above and on narrow hyaline margins; awn (5)-7-14.5 mm, strong, straight, scabrid. Palea ≈ lemma, scabrid near apex. Anthers 1.6-2.6 mm. Caryopsis 3-3.8 × 0.8-1.3 mm.
N.: scattered; S.: common in Canterbury, scattered in Marlborough, Otago and Southland. On roadsides, waste land, in pasture and crops, and on hillsides in grassland; lowland to montane.
Naturalised from Mediterranean.
A widespread weed in temperate regions of both Hemispheres.
