Poaceae
Aristida

Aristida refracta Griseb.

First published in Cat. Pl. Cub.: 228 (1866)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Caribbean. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms prostrate; 20-60 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 5-15 cm long; 0.5 mm wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; linear; 5-15 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; 1-3 cm long. Panicle branches stiff. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 5-7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.5 mm long; pubescent; acute.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 5-7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.5 mm long; pubescent; acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 4-5 mm long; 0.7-0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; acute; mucronate. Upper glume linear; 5-7 mm long; membranous; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; acute; mucronate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 4.5 mm long; coriaceous; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn with 10 mm long limb. Lateral lemma awns gyrate; 10 mm long; subequal to principal.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3.
Distribution
South America: Caribbean.
Reference
Aristideae. N Amer Fl 1994.
[GB]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • 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

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. 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 2026. 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