Aristida superpendens Domin

Domin, K. (1910) Bibliotheca Botanica 20(85): 339. Type: Queensland: in den Savannenwäldern bei Mareeba häufig (DOMIN, II. 1910). (Given by M.Lazarides, Brunonia 3 (1980) 326 as Queensland: Cook District: Mareeba, ii.1910, Domin s.n. (PR, holotype; BRI, isotype).

Densely tufted perennial. Culms erect, 60-120 cm long, compressed. Culm-internodes antrorsely scabrous, distally glabrous.

Leaf-sheath margins scaberulous, glabrous on surface, oral hairs ciliate, 4-5 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs 0.3-0.5 mm long. Lamina filiform or linear, involute, 15-27 cm long and 0.6-1.2 mm wide, surface scaberulous to scabrous, pilose, hairy adaxially. Leaves spiral on drying.

Inflorescence an open panicle, elliptic in outline, 14-34 x 5-8 cm. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate, 2-5 cm long, branches pubescent. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled, spikelets comprising of a fertile floret, without rhachilla extension, lanceolate, subterete, 16-21 mm long, breaking up at maturity, disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated, 1.6-2.2 mm long, pubescent, pungent, callus hairs 0.2-1.8 mm long. Glumes persistent, similar, exceeding apex of florets, thinner than the fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, 8-13.2 mm long, 0.5-0.6 times the length of the upper glume, membranous, keeled, 3 -veined, apex acute or acuminate, awned, awn 1.5 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate, 16-21 mm long, 1.6-2 times the length of the adjacent fertile lemma, membranous, keeled, apex acute or acuminate, awned, 1.5 mm long. Florets with fertile lemma lanceolate, subterete, 8-12.6 mm long, coriaceous, pallid and light brown, mottled brown, 3 -veined, surface scaberulous, margins convolute covering most of palea, apex acute, 3 -awned, principal lemma awn 3-branched and spreading; with 35-99 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 11-34 mm long. Lateral lemma awns spreading less than principal; 26-86 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 0.2 length of lemma; without keels.

Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 5.6-7.2 mm long. Hilum linear; 0.75 length of caryopsis.

Features not available.

Occurs in NT, CYP, NEQ and CEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 800 m. Grows in Eucalypt forest, Eucalypt woodland, Melaleuca woodland, Melaleuca heathland and wooded grassland. Also from Indonesia.