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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 sciuroides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 70–200 cm long; 3–6 -noded. Culm-internodes glaucous; smooth; distally glabrous. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2–0.5 mm long. Collar glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-blades curled, or flexuous; 10–21 cm long; 2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially; glabrous, or pilose; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; linear; 16–60 cm long; 1–4 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 10.5–17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 10.5–17 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface smooth to scabrous. Lower glume apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1.5–4 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 10.5–17 mm long; 1.2–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex emarginate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 8.5–13 mm long; coriaceous; pallid, or light brown, or purple; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or papillose; rough above. Lemma margins involute; covering most of palea; scabrous. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; flat below; 2 mm long overall; with 15–36 mm long limb; without a column; persistent. Lateral lemma awns spreading as much as principal; 11–30 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 0.2 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; sulcate on hilar side; 7.5–9 mm long. Hilum linear; 0.4–0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Aristideae. Simon 1993.

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