Aristida dasydesmis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 35–70 cm long; 1.5–3 mm diam. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches fastigiate. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades erect; aciculate; conduplicate; 15–30 cm long; 1 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; effuse; 5–10 cm long; 3–6 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pilose; truncate, or obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 5 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume lanceolate; 8 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 8 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 25 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 5 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 20 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Aristideae. De Winter 1993.

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