Aristida setacea

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths coriaceous; yellow; glossy. Culms erect; 50–120 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; flat, or convolute; 20–40 cm long; 2–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or lanceolate; 15–40 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 12–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1.5 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 9–13 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; scarious; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 2–5 mm long. Upper glume oblong; 12–15 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 2–5 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 11–13 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 25–40 mm long overall; persistent. Lateral lemma awns 25–40 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea 1.3 mm long; 0.1 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, and Malesia.

NOTES Aristideae. Gr Maur.

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