Aristida kenyensis

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15–90 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 5–15 cm long; 1–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 5–20 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 5–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.2 mm long; pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets, or shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–8 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; 5–9 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn with 6–15 mm long limb; persistent. Lateral lemma awns 6–15 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea 0.1 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical and east tropical.

NOTES Aristideae. FTEA.

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