Derivation
Eragrostis Wolf, Gen. Sp. Pl. 23 (1776); from the Greek, eros (loving), together with Agrostis, the Greek name of an indeterminate herb.

Or from the Greek er (early) and agrostris (wild). Species of Eragrostis are commonly early invaders of arable land.

Or from the Greek eri, an inseparable particle used as a prefix to strengthen a word in the sense of very much, that is a many-floreted Agrostis.

infecunda- from the Latin in- (not) and fecundus (fertile). No grain found after persistent searching.

Published in
Trans. & Proc. Roy. Soc. South Australia 55: 137, fig. 4 (1931).

Habit
Perennial, tufted. Rootstock evident. Rhizomes elongated. Stolons present. Culms erect, 35–70 cm tall. Lateral branches simple or sparsely branched. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.3–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades straight, persistent, flat or involute or convolute, 3–8 cm long, 1–2 mm wide, rigid. Leaf-blade surface smooth, glabrous. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous, scabrous.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle or a panicle. Panicle open, lanceolate or elliptic, dense, 6–10 cm long, 2–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading, 1–3.5 cm long. Panicle branches bearing approximate spikelets.

Spikelets
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets many flowered, comprising 5–11 fertile florets, with diminished florets at the apex, linear, laterally compressed, 5–11.5 mm long, 1.5–2 mm wide, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets rhachilla persistent. Spikelets retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes 0.8–1.8 mm long, eventually visible between lemmas, smooth or scaberulous.

Glumes
Glumes persistent or deciduous, similar. Lower glume lanceolate, 2.3–4 mm long, 66–90% length of upper glume, membranous, 1-keeled, 1-nerved, midnerve smooth or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral nerves absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate, 3.5–4.5 mm long, 130–140% of length of adjacent fertile lemma, membranous, 1-keeled, 1-nerved, midnerve smooth or scaberulous. Upper glume lateral nerves absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate, 2.5–3.3 mm long, membranous, 1–3-nerved. Lemma lateral nerves obscure. Lemma apex acute or acuminate, muticous. Palea readily splitting down midline, linear or oblong, with flaps wider than body. Palea keels wingless, smooth. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped. Lodicules 2, cuneate, fleshy. Anthers 3, 1.2–2.3 mm long. Grain with adherent pericarp.

Continental Distribution:
Australasia.

Australian Distribution:
Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria.

Northern Territory: Central Australia North, Central Australia South. South Australia: Flinders Ranges, Northern Lofty, Murray, Southern Lofty, South-eastern. Victoria: Murray Mallee, Wimmera, Wannon, Grampians, Riverina, Midlands, Victorian Volcanic Plain.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Chloridoideae: Cynodonteae

Notes
Endemic; occurs N and NE of Adelaide in S.A., and in western Vic; introduced into N.T. near Alice Springs and further N on Elkedra Stn. Flowers and fruits all year.