Aristida jaliscana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 60–100 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades involute; 14–30 cm long; 3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 20–30 cm long; 1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 11–14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 9–11 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–11 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 11–14 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 9–15 mm long limb; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 2.5–5 mm long. Lateral lemma awns spreading as much as principal; shorter than principal.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Aristideae. Guzman 2004.

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