Aristida pilosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 60–70 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Culm-nodes swollen. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curved; filiform; convolute; 10–20 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 2–6 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels clavate; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 8.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 6.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 4 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 7.5 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 8.5 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface punctate. Lemma margins involute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; spreading; with 8–9 mm long limb; without a column; persistent. Lateral lemma awns spreading less than principal; 4.5–5 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 0.1 length of lemma.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Pacific: southwestern.

NOTES Aristideae. Henrard 1993.

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