Poaceae
Aristida

Aristida setacea Retz.

First published in Observ. Bot. 4: 22 (1786)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is W. Indian Ocean, India to Indo-China. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths coriaceous; yellow; glossy. Culms erect; 50-120 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; flat, or convolute; 20-40 cm long; 2-2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle contracted; linear, or lanceolate; 15-40 cm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 12-15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1.5 mm long; pubescent; pungent.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 12-15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1.5 mm long; pubescent; pungent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 9-13 mm long; 0.75-0.9 length of upper glume; scarious; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 2-5 mm long. Upper glume oblong; 12-15 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 2-5 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 11-13 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 25-40 mm long overall; persistent. Lateral lemma awns 25-40 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea 1.3 mm long; 0.1 length of lemma; without keels.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3.
Distribution
Africa: western Indian ocean. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, and Malesia.
Reference
Aristideae. Gr Maur.
[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

  • 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 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