Common name
Bristle-tail Grass

Derivation
Psilurus Trin., Fund. Agrostogr. 93 (1820); from the Greek psilos, slender and oura, tail, referring to the slender spike.

incurvus- Latin for bowed. Inflorescence is a curved spikes.

Published in
Vierteljahrsschr. Naturf. Ges. Zürich 58: 40 (1913).

Habit
Annual. Culms erect, 7–45 cm tall. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 0.2–1 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform, convolute, 15–65 cm long, 0.3–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex hooded.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence solid, a raceme. Racemes 1, straight or flexuous, smoothly terete, unilateral, 3–35 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes (tardily), subcylindrical and excavated, glabrous or pubescent on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis, distant.

Spikelets
Spikelets sunken, solitary. Fertile spikelets at least 3-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, with a barren rhachilla extension or with diminished florets at the apex, linear, laterally compressed, 3.4–6.8 mm long, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Glumes
Glumes one (the lower absent or obscure) or two, lateral, persistent, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume 0.4 mm long. Upper glume ovate, 0.5–1.3 mm long, 10–25% of length of adjacent fertile lemma, membranous, 1-nerved. Upper glume lateral nerves absent. Upper glume apex acute.

Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate, 3.2–5 mm long, coriaceous, 3-nerved. Lemma apex acuminate, 1-awned. Median (principal) awn apical or subapical, straight, 2.3–5.5 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped. Anthers 1, 0.3–0.9(–2.2) mm long. Grain with adherent pericarp, lanceolate, 3–4.5 mm long. Hilum linear, 33–66% of length of caryopsis.

Continental Distribution:
Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia.

Australian Distribution:
South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria.

South Australia: Eastern, Northern Lofty, Southern Lofty. New South Wales: Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, South-Western Slopes. Victoria: Lowan Mallee, Wannon, Grampians, Riverina, Midlands.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Pooideae: Poeae

Notes
Native to the Mediterranean. Dry, open habitats, often on sandy or rocky soils. Flowers Oct.–Nov.