Aristida lignosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; robust; 100–200 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Lateral branches ample. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long; 2–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; linear, or lanceolate; 7–30 cm long; 0.5–5 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 7–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; pilose; acute. Floret callus hairs 1.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets, or exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–8 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous, or scabrous. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–10 mm long; 0.9–1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface asperulous, or scabrous. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 6–11 mm long; coriaceous; pallid, or light brown; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough generally. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn with 14–23 mm long limb; without a column; persistent. Lateral lemma awns 11–20 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea 0.2 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear; 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Aristideae. Simon 1993.

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