Aristida abnormis

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 10–30(–40) cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 5–10 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; effuse; 5–10 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; 1–2 -nate.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 7–10(–14) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; pilose; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 5.5–10 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5.5–10 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 7–10(–14) mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned, or 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved, or 3-branched; with (7.5–)15–25 mm long limb; with twisted column; persistent. Column of lemma awn 3.5–10 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 0–15 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 0.2 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical. Asia-temperate: western Asia and Arabia. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Aristideae. Fl Pak.

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