Eragrostis leptocarpa
Benth.Tufted annual, culms ascending to erect, to 60 cm high, often branched from lower nodes. Leaves glabrous; blade flat, to c. 15 cm long and 4 mm wide. Inflorescence initially an erect, rather narrow panicle to 30 cm long but spreading or drooping at maturity, lower branches whorled, the spikelets usually remaining almost appressed to their branches. Spikelet mostly 4–10-flowered, 3–8 mm long and 0.7–1 mm wide, purplish, at least when young; glumes acute or obtuse and erose at apex, 0.5–1.3 mm long, the upper about twice as long as lower; lemma 1.5–2 mm long, broadly acute to obtuse, scabrous along keel and lateral veins and finely so between these; palea slightly shorter than lemma; anthers c. 0.2 mm long; grain oblong, c. 1 mm long.
Known in Victoria by a single collection labelled simply 'Grampians, July 1898'. This species occurs on the Murray River immediately downstream of the Victorian border (e.g. Chowilla and Renmark), and may possibly be found in the Mildura area.
Some doubt exists about the veracity of the supposed Victorian specimen. It is from the herbarium of Chas Walter and this collection has been the source of many dubious records for Victoria. The purported month of collection, July, is surprising for an annual Eragrostis in Victoria, further adding to the uncertainty around this specimen.
