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

echinata- Latin for spiny. Inflorescence a very condensed panicle and the spikelets or auxillary structures are awned, the whole thereby resembling a hedgehog.

Common synonyms
Aristida ramosa R.Br. var. scaberula Henrard

Habit
Perennial, tufted. Culms robust, 50–120 cm tall. Mid-culm internodes smooth, glabrous. Lateral branches branched. Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous, glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.5 mm long. Collar glabrous or pubescent. Leaf-blades straight, flat or conduplicate or involute or convolute, 6–12 cm long, 1–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle contracted, linear, 5–15 cm long, 0.8–2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 0.5–1.5 cm long.

Spikelets
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, without rhachilla extension, lanceolate, terete, 6.3–10 mm long, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated, pubescent, acute.

Glumes
Glumes persistent, similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, 4–10 mm long, equalling upper glume, membranous, 1-keeled, 1-nerved. Lower glume lateral nerves absent. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acute or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate, 4–10 mm long, 60–100% of length of adjacent fertile lemma, membranous, 1-keeled, 1-nerved. Upper glume lateral nerves absent. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute or acuminate.

Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate, subterete, 6.3–10 mm long, coriaceous, pallid and light brown, mottled with last colour, 3-nerved. Lemma surface tuberculate or muricate, rough above. Lemma margins convolute, covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute, 3-awned. Median (principal) awn 11–19 mm long, without a column, persistent. Lateral lemma awns present, 11–19 mm long, subequal to principal or shorter than principal, 100% of length of principal. Palea 20% of length of lemma, without keels. Anthers 3. Grain with adherent pericarp, grooved, 5–8 mm long. Embryo 25–50% of length of grain. Hilum linear, 30% of length of caryopsis.

Continental Distribution:
Australasia.

Australian Distribution:
Queensland, New South Wales.

Queensland: Darling Downs, Leichhardt, Maranoa, Moreton, Warrego, Mitchell, Gregory North. New South Wales: Central Coast, North-Western Slopes, Central-Western Slopes, South-Western Slopes, North-Western Plains, South-Western Plains, North Far Western Plains.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Aristidoideae

Notes
Native. Acacia, Callitris, blue-grass downs (Dichanthium spp.), Eucalyptus, and mulga (Acacia aneura) communities on loams, red earths and sands. Flowering and fruiting Aug.–July. Aristida echinata differs from Aristida ramosa by the tuberculate surface of the lemma. It was formerly placed as a variety of Aristida ramosa (see comments under that species).