Aristida sciurus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; robust; 70–140 cm long; 5–6 mm diam.; 4–5 -noded. Culm-internodes distally woolly. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or woolly. Leaf-sheath oral hairs woolly. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 30–60 cm long; 2–5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 20–45 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 11–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1–1 mm long; bearded; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough above. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 11–13 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 10–12 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex rostrate; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn with 15–23 mm long limb; persistent. Lateral lemma awns 15–23 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Aristideae. De Winter 1993.

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