Aristida granitica B.K.Simon. Austrobaileya
2: 91, fig. 2A (1984).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Aristidoideae. Aristideae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Queensland: North Kennedy District: Mt. Pring, 10
km W of Bowen, 18 Apr 1978, Simon 3423 (HT: BRI-257519).
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Illustrations:
[2005] K.Mallet (ed.), Flora of Australia 44B: Poaceae 3 (Fig.
17A-B).
Derivation:
Eng. granite; L. -ica, belonging to. Growing on granitic soils.
Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect, 75 cm tall. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Lateral
branches sparsely branched or branched. Leaf-sheaths smooth, glabrous on
surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades straight,
conduplicate or involute or convolute, 10–21 cm long, 1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade
surface scabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle elliptic, 7–19 cm long, 8 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile
floret(s), without rachilla extension, lanceolate, laterally compressed, 12–13
mm long.
Glumes.
Glumes similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous,
keeled, 1-keeled, 3 -nerved. Lower glume surface glabrous. Upper glume
lanceolate, 12–13 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume
surface glabrous. Upper glume apex entire, muticous.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 8–9 mm long, without keel, 3 -nerved. Lemma apex awned, 3 -awned.
Median (principal) awn 34–36 mm long overall, with a twisted column. Column
12–14 mm long. Lateral lemma awns present. Palea without keels. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland.
Queensland:
North Kennedy.
Notes.
A.granitica is similar to A. dominii and A. superpendens
by having lateral awns which are dissimilar from the median in being somewhat
shorter and thinner but the degree of dissimilarity is greater than in these
species.
Known
only from the type locality of Mt. Pring, near Bowen, Queensland. Granite sand
soil. Flowering and fruiting April.