Aristida basiramea Engelm.
Forktip Threeawn

Habit: 		Annual.
Culms: 		Freely branching at the base, sparingly so above, 30-50 cm. tall.
Blades: 	Flat, 5-15 cm. long, 1.5 mm. wide.
Ligule: 	Small, hairy.
Inflorescence: 	Panicles terminal and axillary, terminal 5-10 cm. long, with erect branches, the axillary
		mostly included in the sheaths.
Spikelets: 	1-flowered, narrow, rachilla disarticulating obliquely above the glumes.
Glumes: 	Acuminate, the first 8-10 mm. long, the second 12-14 mm. long, membranous, persistent,
		keeled, awnless, usually longer than the lemma.
Lemmas: 	Without the awn about 1 cm. long, firm, narrow, rigid, strongly convolute, with a prominent
		callus at the base, 3-awned at the apex, central awn coiled, 10-15 mm. long, the lateral awns half to
		two thirds as long, somewhat spreading.
Palea: 		Thin, included within the lemma.
Habitat: 	Dry prairies, barren or sandy soil.  August-September.
Kansas Range: 	East half.