Aristida ambongensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 40–75 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches sparse. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 15–20 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 10–15 cm long; 1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–3 -nate.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 15–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 2–3 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 15–17 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 17–19 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 0–10 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins involute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 35–45 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 8–13 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 30–35 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 0.1 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Aristideae. Gr Madag 1997.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.