Aristida paoliana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 30–40 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 5–20 cm long; 1–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; lanceolate, or ovate; 8–15 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 10–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 1 mm long; pilose; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–5(–6) mm long; 0.4 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex lobed; 2 -fid; obtuse; mucronate. Upper glume linear; 10–12 mm long; 2–2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex lobed; 2 -fid; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 4–6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 35–50 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 8–15 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 30–40 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 0.1 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical and east tropical.

NOTES Aristideae. FTEA.

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