Oxychloris scariosa

Description

Oxychloris scariosa, Erect annual or short-lived perennial to 0.5 m high; culms simple or branched, 5-7-noded, usually terete, wiry., Leaves with sheath glabrous to very sparsely spreading pubescent; ligule a short ciliate crown; blade to 3.5 mm wide. Spikes 3-5, each 2-4.5 cm long, erect to somewhat spreading. Spikelets densely clustered, imbricate, 5- or 6-flowered, only lowest floret fertile. Glumes unequal, lower elliptic to linear, 3-5 mm long; upper narrow-oblanceolate to obovate or elliptic, 5-7 mm long, apex 2-fid. Fertile lemma with broad, stiff, membranous, wing-like margins and a sharp-pointed base; awn stout, 7-8 mm long. Second and third lemmas glabrous, elliptic, winged, membranous, with a sharp basal point and awn 4-5 mm long; other lemmas similar but shorter. Flowering: in response to rain.