Aristida scabrivalvis

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 15–50 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3–30 cm long; 2–3.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 7–30 cm long; evenly furnished, or with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches branching divaricately.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 5–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 0.5 mm long; pilose; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5–6 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1–2.5 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–8 mm long; 1–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–2.5 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 5–7 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma surface smooth, or scabrous; rough above. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 10–20 mm long limb; persistent. Lateral lemma awns 10–20 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea 0.1 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Aristideae. FTEA.

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