Aristida purpurea var. nealleyi

(Vasey) Allred
Common names: Nealley's threeawn
Synonyms: Aristida purpurea var. glauca Aristida glauca
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 25. Treatment on page 333.

Culms 20-45 cm. Blades 5-15 cm, mostly basal, involute. Panicles 8-18 (20) cm; primary branches and pedicels mostly appressed to narrowly ascending, with¬out axillary pulvini, stiff, straight, lower branches occasionally flexible. Glumes usually unequal; lower glumes 4-7 mm; upper glumes (7) 8-14 mm; lemmas 7-13 mm long, narrowing to about 0.1 mm wide, upper portion sometimes twisted; awns 15-22 (30) mm long, subequal, about 0.1 mm wide at the base. 2n = 22, 44.

Distribution

N.Mex., Tex., Colo., Utah, Calif., Okla., Kans., Vt., Ill., Ariz., Nev.

Discussion

Aristida purpurea var. nealleyi grows on dry slopes and plains at lower elevations than the other varieties, frequently in desert grassland vegetation. Its range extends from the southwestern United States into Mexico. Although var. nealleyi is more distinct than the other varieties, having tight tufts of foliage exceeded by narrow, straw-colored panicles, it grades into var. purpurea, and the panicles resemble those of var. wrightii. It may also be confused with A. arizonica, but differs in having involute, generally straight leaf blades and shorter awns.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"decumbent" is not a number.

0.07 cm0.7 mm <br />7.0e-4 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
0.1mm;0.8mm +
Kelly W. Allred +
(Vasey) Allred +
not disarticulating +
divaricate +
1 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br /> (?) +
straight +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (2.2 cm22 mm <br />0.022 m <br />) +
not conspicuous +
subequal +
1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br /> (14 cm140 mm <br />0.14 m <br />) +
keeled +  and rounded +
coiled +, disarticulating +  and twisted +
spreading +  and appressed +
intravaginal +, extravaginal +, branching +  and basal +
swelling +
straight +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (25 cm250 mm <br />0.25 m <br />) +
scabridulous +
curled +, tightly involute +  and flat +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br />) +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
spikelike +
well-developed +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br />) +
tan +  and chestnut +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (1.4 cm14 mm <br />0.014 m <br />) +
non-radiate +  and radiate +
pilose +  and glabrous +
Nealley's threeawn +
erect +  and ascending +
20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br /> (45 cm450 mm <br />0.45 m <br />) +
not woody +
N.Mex. +, Tex. +, Colo. +, Utah +, Calif. +, Okla. +, Kans. +, Vt. +, Ill. +, Ariz. +  and Nev. +
large +  and small +
thread-like +
capillary +
germination +
pistillate +  and staminate +
sometimes longer +
compressed +  and terete +
subtending +
acute +  and acuminate +
unequal +
straight +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (?) +  and 30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br /> (?) +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (12 cm120 mm <br />0.12 m <br />) +
1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br /> (14 cm140 mm <br />0.14 m <br />) +
cauline +  and basal +
whitish +  and purplish +
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br />) +
tuberculate +  and scabridulous +
fusiform +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (1.6 cm16 mm <br />0.016 m <br />) +
coriaceous +
narrowing +
indistinguishable +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br />) +
inconspicuous +
scabridulous +  and smooth +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
concealed +  and prominent +
with straight +  and glabrous +
2 +  and 1 +
concealing +
0 +  and 1/2 +
20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br /> (?) +
8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br /> (18 cm180 mm <br />0.18 m <br />) +
dry +  and fleshy +
mostly appressed;narrowly ascending +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
not prolonged +
not disintegrating +
shorter or longer +
1 (?) +  and Anatomy (?) +
1 +  and 60 +
1 +  and 3 +
triangular +  and dome--shaped +
2 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
Aristida purpurea var. glauca +  and Aristida glauca +
Aristida purpurea var. nealleyi +
Aristida purpurea +
variety +
membranous +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1.4 cm14 mm <br />0.014 m <br />) +
plant +  and cespitose +
aquatic +  and terrestrial +