Aristida longicollis (Domin)Henrard. Meded.
Rijks. Herb. Leiden
54: 14 (1926).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Aristidoideae. Aristideae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Aristida
adscensionis var. longicollis Domin, Biblioth. Bot. 85(2):
343, t. 15, f. 5–8 (1915).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: K. Domin s.n., Feb 1910, Australia: Queensland: Burke Dist.: dürre Hügel bei
Cloncurry (L (photo, BRI); IT: BRI, L).
Key references
(books and floras): [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop (ed)., Flora of
Central Australia (452), [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 (130).
Illustrations:
[1983] J.C.Tothill & J.B.Hacker, Grasses of Southern
Queensland (106(25)).
Derivation: L. longus,
long; collum, neck. Column of awn long.
Habit.
Perennial. Culms 50–80 cm tall, 3 -noded. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Lateral
branches branched. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous, glabrous on surface. Ligule a
fringe of hairs, 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades straight, flat or conduplicate or
involute or convolute, 9–18 cm long, 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface
indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle elliptic, 9.5–20 cm long, 3–6 cm
wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret(s),
without rachilla extension, lanceolate, terete, 7–13 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous,
keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Lower glume apex mucronate. Upper glume
lanceolate, 7–13 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved. Upper glume
apex entire or erose, mucronate.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 5–9.5 mm long, without keel, 3 -nerved. Lemma apex awned, 3
-awned. Median (principal) awn with a straight or slightly twisted column.
Column 1–5 mm long. Lateral lemma awns present. Palea without keels. Anthers 3.
Grain 4–6.5 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Northern Territory, Queensland.
Northern
Territory: Central Australia
North. Queensland:
Burke, Gregory North, Mitchell.
Notes.
A. longicollis is similar to A. psammophila in its spicate
panicle but differs from this species by its lemma being scabrous all over
apically and by the lemma column consisting of only a half spiral at the most. A.
longicollis was reported in error from New South Wales by Wheeler, Jacobs &
Norton (1990).
Three
arid areas of the Northern Territory and Queensland. Rocky, sandy
soils and red earths. Flowering and fruiting February to June, September (one
record).
