Aristida ramosissima

HABIT Annual. Culms 25–50 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths without keel; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 5–12 cm long. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 18–22 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 13–20 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 3–7 -veined. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 18–22 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 2–6 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 16–25 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; recurved at base of limb; with 18–28 mm long limb; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn 5 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 0.5–4 mm long; shorter than principal.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION North America: north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Aristideae. Gr Tex 1993.

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