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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Aristida psammophila

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 60–120 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth, or scaberulous; distally glabrous. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.3 mm long. Collar glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-blades involute; 7–15 cm long; 1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 12–16 cm long; 3–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 4–8 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 7–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1–1.5 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 7–13 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1–1.5 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–13 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–2 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 7–10.5 mm long; coriaceous; pallid, or light brown; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness, or scabrous. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; reflexed; with 18–25 mm long limb; with twisted column; persistent. Column of lemma awn 1.3–3 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 16–23 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 0.2 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 4.8–5.3 mm long. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Aristideae. Simon 1993.

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