Anthoxanthum aristatum* Boiss. Voy. Bot. Espagne 2: 638 (1842).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Poeae.
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia, [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses
of New South Wales, [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol
44A. Poaceae 2 (144).
Derivation: L. arista,
bristle; -ata, possessing. The apices of lemmas, paleas or glumes drawn
out into a distinct awn.
Habit. Annual.
Culms erect or geniculately ascending, stature slender to delicate, 10–60 cm
tall, 4–7 -noded. Lateral branches sparsely branched or branched. Leaves mostly
basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 1.5–3 mm long. Leaf-blades 0.8–6 cm long,
1–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle oblong or ovate, 1–4 cm long,
0.3–1.2 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 2 basal sterile
florets, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without rachilla extension,
lanceolate, laterally compressed, 5–7.5(–8) mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma, shiny. Lower glume ovate,
membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower
glume apex muticous or mucronate. Upper glume elliptic, 5–7.5(–8) mm long,
membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 3 -nerved. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper
glume apex muticous or mucronate. Florets. Basal sterile florets 2 or
more, barren, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 50 % of
length of spikelet, membranous, 1-keeled, 4–5 -nerved, awned. Lemma of upper
sterile floret 3–4 mm long, erose, awned.
Fertile lemma
(1.4–)1.6–2.1 mm long, without keel, 5 -nerved. Palea 1 -nerved, without keels.
Lodicules absent or vestigial. Anthers 2.
Continental
Distribution: Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Australasia, and North
America.
Australian
Distribution: Victoria.
Victoria:
Midlands.
Notes.
Introduced. Recorded only from Vic. Endemic to SW Europe. Flowers Dec.-Jan.
