Aristida biglandulosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms robust; 60–120 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Culm-internodes glaucous; smooth; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or antrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Collar pubescent. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 20–30 cm long; 2–3 cm wide. Panicle branches with prominent pulvini.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 10–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 10–16 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate, or cuspidate. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–16 mm long; 1–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Upper glume apex emarginate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 11–12 mm long; coriaceous; pallid, or light brown; mottled with last colour; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins involute; covering most of palea; without distinctive roughness, or scabrous. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn flat below; with 22–36 mm long limb; without a column; persistent. Lateral lemma awns 17–31 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 0.2 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; sulcate on hilar side; 7–8 mm long. Hilum linear; 0.25–0.33 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Aristideae. Simon 1993.

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