GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Aristida amplexifolia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 20–30 cm long; 3 -noded. Culm-internodes elliptical in section. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 3 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Collar pubescent. Leaf-blades straight, or curved, or flexuous; conduplicate; 8–17 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; grooved adaxially; scaberulous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; oblong; 8–12 cm long. Panicle axis scaberulous. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 10–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1 mm long; pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 7.5–11 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein ciliolate. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; mucronate. Upper glume linear, or lanceolate; 10–13 mm long; 1.2–1.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 8.5–9 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn with 17–20 mm long limb. Lateral lemma awns 13–15 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 1.5 mm long; 0.15 length of lemma; hyaline; 0 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 1 mm long. Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Aristideae. Caro & Sanchez 1997.

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