Aristida burbidgeae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms 20–45 cm long; 3 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.4 mm long. Leaf-blades flexuous; 5–10 cm long; 1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 8–17 cm long; 0.5–1 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.6 mm long; pubescent; acute. Floret callus hairs 1.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 8 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. Upper glume lanceolate; 9 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface asperulous, or scabrous. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 8 mm long; coriaceous; pallid, or light brown; mottled with last colour; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea; scabrous. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn with 13 mm long limb; without a column; persistent. Lateral lemma awns 11 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea 0.2 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Aristideae. Simon 1993.

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