Aristida culionensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; robust; 80–120 cm long. Leaf-sheaths 9–20 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 35–50 cm long; 6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 30–40 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; whorled at most nodes; 8–15 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 9 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; scarious; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1–2.5 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–11 mm long; 1–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 2.5 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 10–13 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 39 mm long limb; with a straight or slightly twisted column; persistent. Column of lemma awn 3 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 33 mm long; subequal to principal, or shorter than principal. Palea 1.3 mm long; 0.1 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 4 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Indo-China and Malesia.

NOTES Aristideae. Gilliland 1993.

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