Aristida blakei

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 50–90 cm long; 3–5 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 11–20 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; effuse; 10–34 cm long; 4.5–7.5 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 9–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 0.8–1 mm long; pubescent; acute. Floret callus hairs 1–1.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–14 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous, or scabrous. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–15 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 8–12 mm long; coriaceous; pallid, or light brown, or purple; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface tuberculate; rough above. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn with 16–28 mm long limb; without a column; persistent. Lateral lemma awns 16–28 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea 0.2 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear; 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Aristideae. Simon 1993.

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