Aristida ingrata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms 41–155 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 4 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–1 mm long. Collar pubescent. Leaf-blades curled; 10–23 cm long; 3–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or lanceolate; 11–42 cm long; 1.5–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 6–14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 6–14 mm long; 1–1.2 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface smooth to scabrous. Lower glume apex acute to setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–12 mm long; 1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex emarginate, or acute, or acuminate; muticous, or mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 4–8 mm long; coriaceous; pallid, or light brown; mottled with last colour; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface papillose. Lemma margins involute; covering most of palea; without distinctive roughness. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn pseudo-articulate at base; triquetrous below; with 10–30 mm long limb; without a column; persistent. Lateral lemma awns 8–28 mm long; subequal to principal, or shorter than principal. Palea 0.2 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; sulcate on hilar side. Hilum linear; 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Aristideae. Simon 1993.

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