Aristida mohrii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; slender; 40–60 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10–15 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; pilose; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 15–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2–3 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 10 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute; muticous. Upper glume linear; 10 mm long; membranous; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 8 mm long; coriaceous; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn recurved at base of limb; with 15–20 mm long limb. Lateral lemma awns spreading as much as principal; 15–20 mm long; subequal to principal.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA.

NOTES Aristideae. N Amer Fl 1994.

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