Aristida schiedeana
Aristida simpliciflora
single threeawn
southern threeawn
30-120 cm, erect, unbranched.
30-80 cm, loosely branched below;
internodes hollow.
basal and cauline, pale green, sometimes glaucous;
sheaths longer or shorter than the internodes, glabrous except at the summit;
collars densely to sparsely pilose or glabrous;
ligules less than 0.5 mm;
blades 8-30 cm long, 1-2 mm wide, usually flat, often curled at maturity.
cauline, mostly glabrous;
sheaths shorter than the internodes, remaining intact at maturity;
ligules about 0.1 mm;
blades 5-15 cm long, 0.8-1.5 mm wide, usually flat, those of the innovations often sparsely pilose.
paniculate, 10-30 cm long, (4)8-26 cm wide;
rachis nodes with straight hairs, hairs to 0.8 mm;
primary branches 6-16 cm, abruptly spreading to divaricate, stiff to lax, with axillary pulvini, usually not spikelet-bearing below midlength.
narrowly racemose, 10-30 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, often nodding;
nodes glabrous;
lower pedicels appressed.
appressed, rarely spreading.
usually 2(1-3) per node, 1 sessile or short-pedicellate and 1 long-pedicellate.
1(3)-veined, brown or purple at maturity, acuminate;
lower glumes 6-13 mm;
upper glumes equaling or to 4 mm shorter than the lower glumes;
calluses 0.8-1.2 mm;
lemmas 10-15(17) mm, terminating in a strongly twisted, 2-4 mm awnlike beak, junction with the awns not conspicuous;
awns not disarticulating at maturity;
central awns 5-12 mm, markedly bent near the base;
lateral awns absent or to 1(3) mm, erect;
anthers 1.2-2.2 mm, brownish.
6-9 mm, subequal, tan to purplish, 1-2-veined, acute to awn-tipped, awns 0.5-1.5 mm;
lower glumes frequently 2-keeled;
calluses 0.4-0.6 mm;
lemmas 5-6 mm, light tan to lead-colored, column not twisted, junction with the awns not conspicuous;
awns not disarticulating at maturity;
central awns 10-15 mm, about twice as thick as the lateral awns, reflexed from a semicircular bend;
lateral awns equal to or slightly shorter than the central awns, divaricate and slightly contorted at the base;
anthers 3, 2-3 mm, tan to brown.
6-8 mm.
4-5 mm, chestnut-colored.
= 22, 44.
= unknown.
Aristida schiedeana
Aristida simpliciflora
Aristida schiedeana grows on rocky slopes and plains, generally in pinyon-juniper, oak, or ponderosa pine communities. Plants from the southwestern United States and northern Mexico belong to A. schiedeana var. orcuttiana (Vasey) Allred & Valdes-Reyna, in which the lower glumes are usually glabrous and longer than the upper glumes, and the collar and throat are usually glabrous. Aristida schiedeana var. schiedeana grows in Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Honduras, and has puberulent, equal glumes and pilose collars and throats.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Aristida simpliciflora grows in wet savannahs, the upper portion of seepage bogs, and the moister portion of ecotones between such bogs and the surrounding dry uplands. It is restricted to the southeastern United States. Aristida simpliciflora is sometimes confused with A. mohri because both have reduced, spikelike inflorescences, but A. mohri has lateral awns that are about as thick as the central awn, and its spikelets are solitary.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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