Aristida redacta

HABIT Annual. Culms 20–90 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths 1.5–7 cm long; keeled. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades convolute; 7–30 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; effuse; 10–40 cm long; 5–10 cm wide. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 10–17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; bearded; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 10–17 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; scarious; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–17 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume awned; 1 -awned.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 10–17 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 straight, or 3-branched; with 15–20 mm long limb; with a straight or slightly twisted column; persistent. Column of lemma awn 8–10 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 0–3 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Aristideae. Patunkar 1993.

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