Aristida platychaeta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 15–50 cm long; 1–2 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths striately veined. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded; 3 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1 mm long. Collar glabrous. Leaf-blades curled, or flexuous; flat; 4–8 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 10–23 cm long; 2–3 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 5–6 mm long; coriaceous; pallid, or light brown; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface tuberculate; rough above. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn with 12–18 mm long limb; without a column; persistent. Lateral lemma awns 12–18 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea 0.2 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3 mm long. Hilum linear; 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Aristideae. Simon 1993.

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