大颖针禾 da ying zhen he

Aristida grandiglumis Roshevitz, Bot. Mater. Gerb. Bot. Inst. Komarova Akad. Nauk SSSR 11: 18. 1949.

Perennial, roots tomentose. Culms densely tufted, 30–65 cm tall, branched at base. Leaf sheaths smooth or scabrid, longer than internodes; leaf blades involute, 10–35 cm, abaxial surface smooth, adaxial surface pubescent; ligule short, ciliate. Panicle lax with few spikelets, 15–30 cm; branches capillary, solitary, 3–10 cm. Spikelets 2.5–3 cm, stramineous or yellowish white; glumes narrowly lanceolate, smooth or scabrid, densely pubescent within upward, unequal, lower glume 2.5–3 cm, 5–7-veined, marginal veins obscure, upper glume 2–2.3 cm, 3-veined, apex acuminate; callus 1–1.5 mm; lemma 8–9 mm, apex slightly 2-lobed, glabrous; awn with short ca. 1 mm column, all 3 branches densely plumose throughout, hairs 4–5 mm, central branch ca. 2.5 cm, lateral branches 2–2.2 cm. Fl. and fr. Jun–Sep.

Desert sands, banks of watercourses; 1100–1500 m. Gansu (Dunhuang), S Xinjiang [Mongolia].