Aristida tenuiseta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 20–30 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 8–20 cm long; 1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 9–12 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 21–23 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1.5 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–9.5 mm long; 0.4 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 2–3 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 21–23 mm long; 3.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 7–10 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; subterete; oblong in profile (cylindrical); 6–6.5 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 95–105 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 12–25 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 95–105 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical.

NOTES Aristideae. TAC.

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