Derivation
Danthonia DC., in Lam. & DC., Fl. France 3rd edn, 3: 32 (1805), nom. cons.; named in honour of E.Danthoine, a French botanist.

decumbens- from the Latin decumbo (fall down). Culms prostrate.

Published in
Fl. France 3rd edn, 3: 33 (1805).

Common synonyms
Sieglingia decumbens (L.) Bernh.

Habit
Perennial, loosely tufted. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 10–45(–70) cm tall, 1–3-noded. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat or involute, 5–25 cm long, 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex obtuse or abruptly acute.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle or a panicle, comprising (3–)4–9(–11) fertile spikelets. Panicle contracted, linear or oblong, 2–7 cm long. Primary panicle branches bearing 1–3 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets many flowered, comprising 4–6 fertile florets, with diminished florets at the apex, elliptic or oblong, laterally compressed, (6.5–)8–11(–13) mm long, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5 mm long. Floret callus pubescent.

Glumes
Glumes persistent, similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate or ovate, (3–)4–9(–11) mm long, equalling upper glume, membranous, 1-keeled, 3–5-nerved. Lower glume apex obtuse or acute. Upper glume lanceolate or ovate, 120–170% of length of adjacent fertile lemma, membranous, with hyaline margins, 1-keeled, 3–5-nerved. Upper glume apex obtuse or acute.

Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic, 4–7 mm long, coriaceous, 7–9-nerved. Lemma margins pubescent, hairy below. Lemma apex dentate, 2–3-fid, muticous or mucronate. Median (principal) awn from a sinus. Palea elliptic or ovate, 100% of length of lemma, 2-nerved. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface glabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped. Lodicules 2, cuneate, fleshy, smooth. Anthers 3, 0.2–0.5 mm long, retained within floret. Grain with adherent pericarp, ellipsoid, 2–2.1 mm long. Embryo 33% of length of grain. Hilum linear, 25% of length of caryopsis. Cleistogenes in lower sheaths.

Continental Distribution:
Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Australasia, North America, South America.

Australian Distribution:
Victoria, Tasmania.

Victoria: Gippsland Plains, Wilsons Promontory. Tasmania: West Coast, South West.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Danthonioideae: Danthonieae

Notes
Introduced from Europe into Tas and Vic as a fodder grass. This species was widely introduced into temperate regions, but is rarely an aggressive invader.