GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Aristida asplundii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms geniculately ascending; 10–15 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; striately veined; smooth. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Collar pubescent. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 2–4 cm long; 1 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins unthickened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf. Peduncle pubescent above.

Panicle open; oblong; 7–8 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1–2 -nate. Panicle branches scabrous; pubescent in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1 mm long; pubescent; obtuse, or acute.

GLUMES Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 10 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein ciliolate. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate to setaceously attenuate. Upper glume linear; 10 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate to setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 5–6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 14–15 mm long limb; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 3–4 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 9–11 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea hyaline; 0 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 1.5 mm long. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and southern South America.

NOTES Aristideae. Henrard 1997.

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