Aristida exserta S.T.Blake

Blake, S.T. (1940) Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 51: 172. Type: Mt Remarkable, near Pentland, North Kennedy District, Queensland, 11 June 1934, S.T. Blake 6130; holo: BRI; iso: BRI, K (photo BRI), MEL (photo BRI).

Densely tufted perennial; caespitose. Culms 45-75 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Culms strongly branched.

Leaf-sheaths shorter than the internodes, glabrous on surface, oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.3 mm long. Lamina filiform, involute, 40-80 x 0.5 mm, surface scabrous, rough adaxially, not coiled at maturity.

Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle contracted, or spiciform, linear, 10-15 x 1 cm. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets comprising of 1 fertile floret, without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, subterete, 7-11 mm long, breaking up at maturity, disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated, pubescent, acute. Glumes persistent, similar, reaching apex of florets, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, 6.5-10 mm long, 1 length of upper glume, membranous, keeled with 3 veins. Lower glume surface smooth to scabrous, apex emarginate, or acute, awned. Lower glume awn 0.5-1.3 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate, 6.7-10 mm long; same length than adjacent fertile lemma, membranous, keeled, 1 -veined. Upper glume without veins. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate, awned. Upper glume awn 0.5-1.3 mm long. Florets with fertile lemma lanceolate, subterete, 7-11 mm long, coriaceous, without keel, 3 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above. Lemma margins involute, covering most of palea, without distinctive roughness. Lemma apex acute, 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn spreading, with 9.5-11 mm long limb; without a column, persistent. Lateral lemma awns spreading as much as principal, 8.5-10.5 mm long, shorter than principal. Palea 0.2 length of lemma, without keels. FLOWER Anthers 3.

Caryopsis with adherent pericarp, sulcate on hilar side, 5-6 mm long. Hilum linear, 0.2-0.3 length of caryopsis.

Features not available.

Occurs in WA, NT, NEQ and CEQ. Altitudinal range from 75-500 m. Grows in vine forest, various types of woodland, shrubland and grassland.