Aristida monticola

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Culms decumbent; 35–70 cm long; wiry; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 6–12 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 7–14 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 6–8.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; bearded; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 6–8.5 mm long; 1.2–1.4 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 6–6.5 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex rostrate; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn straight, or 3-branched; with 18 mm long limb; without a column, or with twisted column; persistent. Lateral lemma awns 13 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Aristideae. De Winter 1993.

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