Aristida simpliciflora

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; slender; 30–60 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat; 5–15 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; curved; 10–20 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 6–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 0.75 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 6–7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume linear; 6–7 mm long; membranous; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 5–6 mm long; coriaceous; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex scabrous; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn recurved at base of limb; with 15 mm long limb. Lateral lemma awns spreading less than principal; 12 mm long; shorter than principal.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA.

NOTES Aristideae. N Amer Fl 1994.

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