Aristida recta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Roots simple (wiry). Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms 10–30 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 5–20 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or ovate; 3–8 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 5–7.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.3 mm long; pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–6 mm long; 0.5–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate; mucronate. Upper glume cuneate; 5–7.5 mm long; 1.2–1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 4–5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex rostrate; with a short cylindrical neck; with this appendage 0.5 mm long; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 6–8 mm long limb; without a column; persistent. Lateral lemma awns gyrate; 6–8 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea 0.1 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Aristideae. FTEA.

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