Aristida patula

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes absent, or short. Culms erect; 50–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 25–50 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 20–35 cm long; 0.33–0.5 of culm length; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches drooping; 1–2 -nate; rebranched at middle; 10–20 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 12–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 12–15 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume linear; 12–15 mm long; 1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 10–12 mm long; coriaceous; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn ascending; with 20–25 mm long limb. Lateral lemma awns ascending; 5–10 mm long; shorter than 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.