Aristida humidicola

HABIT Annual; culms solitary. Culms slender; 11–18 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths loose; striately veined. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 2–3.5 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 7–12 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 8.6–9.7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; winged; these appendages 1.5 mm long; pubescent; 2-toothed.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 8.6–9.7 mm long; 1.1–1.2 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume linear, or oblong; 7.5–7.8 mm long; 2–2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex attenuate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 3 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface smooth; villous; hairy above. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 18–22 mm long limb; with twisted column; persistent. Column of lemma awn 13–14 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 16–18 mm long; shorter than principal.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical.

NOTES Aristideae. Phillips 2001.

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