Aristida floridana

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 60 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 2–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; dense; 20–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; 2–4 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 7–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1 mm long; pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 6–7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume linear; 6–7 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; ascending; 20 mm long overall; with 20 mm long limb.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA.

NOTES Aristideae. N Amer Fl 1994.

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