Aristida decaryana

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; slender; 15–20 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curved; filiform, or linear; convolute; 2–7 cm long. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 4–6 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 3–6 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches appressed; 0.8–0.9 cm long; bearing 1–2 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 1–6 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; subterete; 4–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus brief; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume linear; 3.5–4.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 3.5–4 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins involute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; with 20 mm long limb.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Aristideae. Camus 2007.

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