Aristida brainii

HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending; 25–50 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 5–16 cm long; 1–1.7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; effuse; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate; branching divaricately; bearing 1–3 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches glandular (in axils); scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 8.5–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 6–7.5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 8.5–10 mm long; 1.1–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 8 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 10–15 mm long limb; persistent. Lateral lemma awns 10–15 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea 0.1 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Aristideae. FZ.

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