Poaceae
Aristida

Aristida lanosa Muhl. ex Elliott

First published in Sketch Bot. S. Carolina 1: 143 (1816)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Central & E. U.S.A. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Butt sheaths woolly. Culms 70-150 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths without keel; woolly. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2-0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; flat, or involute; 20-50 cm long; 1-3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous, or hispid; sparsely hairy.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; lanceolate; 15-40 cm long; 2-8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; 6-15 cm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 12-14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; pubescent; acute.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 12-14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; pubescent; acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 12-14 mm long; 1.2-1.5 length of upper glume; membranous; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface smooth, or scabrous. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 10 mm long; 1.2-1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface smooth, or scabrous. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 8-9 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn spreading, or reflexed; with 15-25 mm long limb; without a column. Lateral lemma awns spreading less than principal; 10-15 mm long; shorter than principal.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3.
Distribution
North America: north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.
Reference
Aristideae. Gr Tex 1993.
[GB]

Sources

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0