Lamarckia L.

1 species naturalized Aust.; Qld, NSW, Vic., Tas., S.A., WA

*Lamarckia aurea (L.) Moench

Spikelets with 1 fertile floret, or sterile; fertile florets intermixed with sterile ones in little clusters on the very short branches of a unilateral spike-like panicle, or the sterile ones lying above the fertile panicle. Rhachilla of the fertile spikelets prolonged above the floret, bearing a narrow empty awn-like glume, and sometimes a second rudimentary one above it. Sterile spikelets consisting of truncate awnless glumes only. Glumes of fertile spikelets subulate, subequal, 1–2 mm long; lemmas 2–3 mm long with a dorsal awn 6–8 mm long. Glabrous annual up to 20 cm high. Leaf blades flat, up to 10 cm long; ligule membranous, glabrous, 5–8 mm long. Widespread. Grasslands; roadsides. Introd. from the Mediterranean. Fl. summer. Golden Top