Aristida correlliae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 8–10 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded; 4 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2–0.4 mm long. Leaf-blades erect; curved; plicate; 10–22 cm long; 0.4–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface woolly; hairy abaxially (proximally). Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 2–20 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; linear; 3–20 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches appressed; indistinct the panicle almost racemose; bearing 2–3 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–8.5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 7.4–9.7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.7–0.9 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes similar; with lower wider than upper; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 5–9 mm long; 0.7–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume linear; 7.4–9.7 mm long; membranous; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 5–6 mm long; coriaceous; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn with 7.5–10 mm long limb. Lateral lemma awns 7.5–10 mm long; subequal to principal.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Aristideae. McKenzie et al 2004.

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