Basketgrass
Oplismenus undulatifolius, Fam. Poaceae
Weak trailing perennial grass to approximately 30cm high.
| Weed Category: | |
| Weed: | No |
| Form or habit: | Grass or grass-like plant |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Leaf: | Leaves with ligule, about 3mm long, membranous at the base, dividing into cilia; blade 4-18mm wide, densely pubescent, midrib narrow, whitish on the lower surface, 10-15 fine nerves either side of it. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
Purple |
| Flower description: | Inflorescence composed of racemes, 2-8cm long of five to 11 cuneate fascicles which are 0.5-1.5 cm in length and carry two to six spikelets. Lanceolate, glabrous, pubescent spikelets, 2.5-4mm in length. Glumes have smooth viscid awns which are 7-14mm long. The awns of lower glumes are purple, 5-10mm in length and are three to five veined. The lower lemma is herbaceous and have five to nine veins while the upper one is five veined with an awn that is 2-5mm. Most months of the year. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Brown |
| Fruit: | |
| Fruit description: | Spikelet packing crowded. Brown spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled, two in the cluster; subequal, or the lower smaller. Spikelets comprising one basal sterile floret, one fertile floret, without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, laterally compressed; 2.5-4mm long. Pedicels oblong. |
| Habitat: | Open forest. |
| Distribution | Queensland, New South Wales, New Guinea, Malesia, Asia, Africa, Europe. |
| Food source for: | Food source for many species of Lepidoptera, including Elachista kurokoi, Helcystogramma fuscomarginatum, Mycalesis francisca, Mycalesis sangaica, Mycalesis zonata, Palaeonympha opalina, Stigmella oplismeniella, Ypthima akragas, Ypthima baldus, and Ypthima esakii. |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | Australia, New Guinea, Malesia, Asia, Africa, Europe. |
| Notes: | |
| Information sources: | Atlas of Living Australia (2022) Oplismenus undulatifolius (Ard.) Roem. & Schult., PlantNET (2022) Oplismenus undulatifolius (Ard.) Roem. & Schult. FloraOnline., Royal Botanic Gardens Kew (2022) Oplismenus undulatifolius (Ard.) P.Beauv. Plants of the World Online. |
