Derivation
Aristida L., Sp. Pl. 1: 82 (1753); from the Latin arista (an awn).

burraensis- named for the Burra Range Queensland, the type locality.

Published in
Austrobaileya 2: 89 (1984).

Habit
Perennial, tufted. Culms 40–80 cm tall, 1–3-noded. Mid-culm internodes scaberulous, glabrous. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.4 mm long. Leaf-blades straight, filiform, conduplicate or involute or convolute, 7–14 cm long, 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle contracted, linear, 16–28 cm long, 2 cm wide.

Spikelets
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, without rhachilla extension, lanceolate, terete, 6.6–8 mm long, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident, 0.6 mm long, pubescent, acute, hairs 1.5 mm long.

Glumes
Glumes persistent, similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, 6.6–8 mm long, equalling upper glume, membranous, 1-keeled, 1-nerved, midnerve scabrous. Lower glume lateral nerves absent. Lower glume surface smooth to scabrous. Lower glume apex acute or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate, 6.5–8 mm long, 110–130% of length of adjacent fertile lemma, membranous, 1-keeled, 1-nerved. Upper glume lateral nerves absent. Upper glume apex entire, acute or acuminate.

Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate, subterete, 6 mm long, coriaceous, 3-nerved. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma margins convolute, covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute, 3-awned. Median (principal) awn subterete below, 10 mm long, without a column, persistent. Lateral lemma awns present, 10 mm long, subequal to principal, 100% of length of principal. Palea 20% of length of lemma, without keels. Anthers 3, 1.5 mm long. Grain with adherent pericarp, 4.5 mm long. Hilum linear.

Continental Distribution:
Australasia.

Australian Distribution:
Queensland: Burke, North Kennedy, Mitchell.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Aristidoideae

Notes
Restricted to the Burra Range of north central Queensland. Sandstone in Eucalyptus similis woodland. Flowering and fruiting July. A. burraensis differs from A. nitidula by having smooth lemmas and from A. latzii by its shorter lemmas and more slender awns.