Aristida stenophylla

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 30–40 cm long; wiry. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 7–20 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 5–20 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 14–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; pubescent; with longer hairs above; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 7–9 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute; muticous, or mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 14–20 mm long; 3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse, or acute; muticous, or mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 5–6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 35–55 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 10–20 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 35–55 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea 0.2 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical and east tropical.

NOTES Aristideae. WDC.

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