Stipa bavarica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 35–70 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–4 mm long; 1–2 mm long on basal shoots; truncate. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 35–70 cm long; 1–1.3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scabrous; pubescent; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 6–9 fertile spikelets. Peduncle glabrous, or pubescent above.

Panicle contracted; linear; bearing few spikelets. Panicle axis pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 50–80 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 50–80 mm long; membranous; without keels. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 23–26 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy all along; hairy in lines. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 330–440 mm long overall; with twisted column; limb plumose; with 3–4 mm long hairs. Palea without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central.

NOTES Stipeae. Martinovsky 1995.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.