Common name
Claypan Grass

Derivation
From Greek erion (wool) and achne (chaff or scale), possibly referring to the florets being hairy or else to the indumentum of the whole plant.

flaccida- Latin for unable to support its own weight.

Published in
J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 52: 346 (1942).

Habit
Perennial, tufted. Basal leaf sheaths woolly. Culms erect, 7–50 cm tall, 1–3-noded. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Mid-culm nodes glabrous or pubescent. Lateral branches simple. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curved or flexuous, involute, 8–20 cm long, 1–2.5 mm wide, flaccid. Leaf-blade surface smooth or scaberulous, glabrous.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Peduncle glabrous or pilose above. Panicle contracted, elliptic, 4–6(–10) cm long, 1–2(–3.5) cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed or ascending or spreading. Panicle branches pilose.

Spikelets
Spikelets solitary. Pedicels filiform. Fertile spikelets 2-flowered, comprising 2 fertile florets, without rhachilla extension, ovate, laterally compressed, compressed slightly, 5–6.5 mm long, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Glumes
Glumes opposite, persistent, similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, 3.5–4.5(–7) mm long, equalling upper glume, membranous, much thinner on margins, 9–11-nerved. Lower glume surface smooth, glabrous. Lower glume apex obtuse or acute, muticous or mucronate. Upper glume ovate, 3.5–4.5(–7) mm long, membranous, with hyaline margins, 9–11-nerved. Upper glume surface smooth, glabrous. Upper glume apex obtuse or acute, muticous or mucronate.

Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate, laterally compressed, 5–8 mm long, membranous or chartaceous or cartilaginous, 5–7-nerved. Lemma lateral nerves prominent. Lemma surface with 2 longitudinal grooves or with longitudinal folds, villous. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute or acuminate, muticous or mucronate. Median (principal) awn 2 mm long overall. Palea gaping, 100% of length of lemma, chartaceous. Palea surface scabrous, glabrous or hirsute or villous, hairy in the middle or below. Palea apex erose or dentate, 2-fid. Grain with adherent pericarp, 1.3–2 mm long.

Continental Distribution:
Australasia.

Australian Distribution:
Western Australia, Northern Territory.

Western Australia: Canning, Keartland, Carnegie, Helms, Fortescue, Ashburton, Carnarvon, Austin, Irwin, Coolgardie. Northern Territory: Central Australia North.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Incertae Sedis: Eriachneae

Notes
Endemic. Arid W.A. and N.T. Seasonally wet areas. Flowers and fruits Mar.–May (autumn), July and Sept. (mid winter and early spring).