Aristida hintonii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 60–130 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 25–50 cm long; 3–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 20–40 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches 10–15 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 7–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets, or exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5–6.5 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; purple; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–8.5 mm long; 1–1.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; purple; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 5–9 mm long; coriaceous; purple; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 7–10 mm long limb; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 5–6 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 1–2 mm long; shorter than principal.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Aristideae. Fl Nov Gal 1994.

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