Aristida anaclasta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 25–35 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curled; aciculate; involute; 2–5 cm long; 1 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 6–7 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; ovate; 5–7 cm long; bearing few spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 10–10.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.5 mm long; pilose; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 7–8 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 8.5–9 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 10–10.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; spreading; with 12–16 mm long limb; without a column; persistent. Lateral lemma awns spreading less than principal; 9–10 mm long; shorter than 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.