Aciachne acicularis

Aciachne is a genus of plants in the grass family. It is native to South America. It includes 4 described species and of these, only 3 accepted.

Description

Short, cushiony, spiky, densely tufted perennials. Pods densely overlapping, shiny, 5-veined, margins hyaline; ligule a rigid, erect membrane; linear, folded, sharp blades. Inflorescence a short spike of 1-3 spikelets, mostly hidden. Spikelets terete, glabrous, with 1 bisexual floret; disarticulation above glumes; glumes shorter than the floret, equal, obtuse, rigid, 3-5-veined; lemma terete, hardened, convoluted, 3-veined, rostrated, without crown, margins overlapping; palea shorter than lemma, 2-nervia, ecarinated; callus truncate, glabrous; lodicules 3, dimorphic; stamens 3; styles 2. Fruit a caryopsis; dotted thread.

Taxonomy

The genus was described by George Bentham and published in Hooker's Icones Plantarum 14: 44, pl. 1362. 1881. The type species is: Aciachne pulvinata

Accepted species

The following is a list of the species of the genus Aciachne acicularis accepted up to November 2014, arranged alphabetically. For each one, the binomial name followed by the author is indicated, abbreviated according to conventions and uses.

• Aciachne acicularis
• Aciachne flagellifera
• Aciachne pulvinata