| Synonyms: |
Aristida hordeacea var. longiaristata Henrard Aristida pseudohordeacea Stent & J.M. Rattray Aristida steudeliana Trin. & Rupr. |
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| Description: |
Annual, 10-90 cm. high, caespitose. Culms erect or ascending, branched from the base and lower nodes, compressed, densely pubescent, sometimes becoming more or less glabrous, 3-4-noded; nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths keeled, pubescent. Ligule shortly ciliate; auricles shortly barbate; collar glabrous. Leaf-laminae c. 30 x 1 cm., more or less glaucous, flat or folded, scabrous on both surfaces or hirtellous above, becoming glabrous beneath. Panicle 25 x 1-3 cm., exserted, very dense, linear-oblong or subovate, spiciform or interrupted at the base, with a densely pubescent axis; branches solitary but much divided from the base. Spikelets linear-lanceolate, greenish or pallid, fascicled; pedicels pubescent. Glumes lanceolate, keeled, shortly and densely pubescent, awned or 2-fid at the apex with an awn from the sinus; the inferior 5-9 mm. long, with an awn 2·5-5 mm. long; the superior 6-10 mm. long, with an awn 1-4 mm. long. Lemma 5-7·5 mm. long, narrowly linear, fusiform, with many longitudinal rows of spiny hairs, ventrally furrowed, with a distinct articulation between the apex of the lemma and the base of the awns; column absent; callus c. 0·5 mm. long, obtuse, densely barbate; awns 15-50 mm. long, subequal, erect, scabrous. 2n = 22. |
| Type location: |
Senegambia |
| Notes: | |
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| Worldwide distribution: | Angola, Kenya, south-western Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, throughout tropical Africa |
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| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 503. (Includes a picture). Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 29. As Aristida hordacea Launert, E. (1971). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(1) Pages 116 - 118. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 100. Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 190. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 131. |