Aristida leucophaea

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 60–90 cm long. Culm-internodes distally woolly. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curled; 10–20 cm long; 1.5–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; interrupted; 5–15 cm long; contracted about primary branches.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 5–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.3 mm long; bearded; truncate.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–8 mm long; 0.9–1.1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 0–1.1 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–8 mm long; 1–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; muticous, or mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 5–6.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 8–17 mm long limb; with a straight or slightly twisted column; persistent. Column of lemma awn (0.5–)1.5–2.5(–5.5) mm long. Lateral lemma awns 7–13 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 0.1 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical and southern tropical.

NOTES Aristideae. FTEA.

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