Aristida engleri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 35–50 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 7–15 cm long; 1–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; lanceolate, or ovate; 10–30 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 9–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; bearded; 2-toothed.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–10 mm long; 1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 5–8 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 20 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 4.5 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 15 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.