Aristida ferrilateris

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 40–70 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 4–20 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or oblong; 3–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or spreading; simple; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches glabrous in axils, or bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 8–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.5 mm long; pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 7.5–12 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute; mucronate. Upper glume subulate, or lanceolate; 8–13 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 7–9.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough above. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn triquetrous below; with 13–20 mm long limb; without a column; persistent. Lateral lemma awns ascending; 8–15 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical. Asia-temperate: Arabia.

NOTES Aristideae. TAC.

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