Aristida tricornis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 5–20 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades involute; 1–5 cm long; 1 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or oblong; 2–8 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; simple; 1–2 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 6–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; pubescent; with longer hairs above; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets, or shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5–6.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5.5–7 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 6–7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough in lines. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn spreading; flat below (0.5–0.6mm wide); stiff; pungent; with 10–20 mm long limb; without a column; persistent. Lateral lemma awns spreading as much as principal; 8–15 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Arabia.

NOTES Aristideae. TAC.

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