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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Aristida forsteri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 25–50 cm long; 1–1.5 mm diam.; 2–3 -noded. Culm-internodes scaberulous; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; striately veined; scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.6 mm long. Collar glabrous. Leaf-blades involute; 7–14 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 7–13 cm long; 1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–2 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous; with insignificant pulvini.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 3.5–4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.4 mm long; pubescent; obtuse. Floret callus hairs 0.7 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes lower deciduous, upper persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5–4.5 mm long; 1.1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.2–4.2 mm long; membranous; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 2.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above. Lemma margins involute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn with 8 mm long limb. Lateral lemma awns 6 mm long; shorter than principal.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; sulcate on hilar side; 2 mm long. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Aristideae. Simon 1995.

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