Aristida stipitata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–150 cm long; 4–6 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 5–30 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted, or spiciform; linear; continuous, or interrupted; 10–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 18–22 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 2–3 mm long; bearded; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 10–13 mm long; 0.6 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 18–22 mm long; 2.2–2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–5 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 8–9 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface punctate. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 25–60 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 20–40 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 25–60 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea 0.2 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Aristideae. FZ.

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