Aristida longespica

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous, or pilose. Culms geniculately ascending; 20–60 cm long; wiry. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; flat, or involute; 0.5–1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 10–35 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 3–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus brief; 0.2 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–9 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–9 mm long; 0.75–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex entire, or dentate; 3 -fid; acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 4–9 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn reflexed; with 6–36 mm long limb; without a column. Lateral lemma awns spreading as much as principal; 2–25 mm long; shorter than principal.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION North America: north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Aristideae. Gr Tex 1993.

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