Aristida cyanantha

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; robust; 100–200 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 15–35 cm long; 3–5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; effuse; 20–40 cm long. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 10–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 0.7–1 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–12 mm long; 0.75–0.8 length of upper glume; scarious; purple; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–15 mm long; 1.2–1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; purple; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 3–5 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 8–10 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn with 35–55 mm long limb; persistent. Lateral lemma awns 25–45 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Aristideae. Fl Pak 1993.

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