Aristida hystricula

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 5–15 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curved; involute; 2–4 cm long; 1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 2–4 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches appressed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 9.5–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 0.6 mm long; pilose; 2-toothed.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5–5.5 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; scarious; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 0.5–1 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 9.5–11 mm long; 3–4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–1.5 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 2.5–3.5 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface hispid. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 60 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 20 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 40 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Aristideae. Fl Pak 1993.

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