Aristida kerstingii

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 30–90 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 10–20 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 6–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1.5–2 mm long; pubescent; with longer hairs above; 2-toothed.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 15–20 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 12–15 mm long. Upper glume linear; 20–30 mm long; 5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 5–6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 45–110 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 30–70 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 25–95 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 0.2 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical and west-central tropical.

NOTES Aristideae. Henrard.

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