Aristida venesuelae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 11–24 cm long; 1 mm diam. Culm-internodes scaberulous. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades convolute; 8–10 cm long; 2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 15 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate. Panicle axis scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels angular; 2–5 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 7–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.5–0.75 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 7–9 mm long; 1.2–1.3 length of upper glume; membranous; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–7 mm long; membranous; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 6–8 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn with 20 mm long limb. Lateral lemma awns 10–15 mm long; shorter than principal.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; without sulcus. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America and western South America.

NOTES Aristideae. Henrard 1995.

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