Aristida diminuta

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 15–30 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaves cauline. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 2–7 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; loose, or effuse; 4–10 cm long. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 2.5–3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus brief; pilose; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 1.7–1.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 1.5–1.7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; 7–10 mm long overall. Palea 0.1 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical. Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Aristideae. FTEA.

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