Aristida stenostachya

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 60–120 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades convolute; 20–60 cm long; 2–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted, or spiciform; linear; continuous, or interrupted; 25–30 cm long; 1–2 cm wide. Panicle branches glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 10–19 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; pilose; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 10–19 mm long; 1–1.1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; acute; mucronate, or awned. Lower glume awn 0–2 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–19 mm long; 1–1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0–2 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 10–13 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness, or scaberulous. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 20–30 mm long limb; without a column, or with a straight or slightly twisted column; persistent. Column of lemma awn 0–4 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 20–30 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea 0.2 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical and southern tropical.

NOTES Aristideae. FTEA.

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