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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Stipa bigeniculata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms erect; 20–50 cm long; 2–4 -noded. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths 1.5–3 cm long; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.4–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 20–45 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex pungent; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 10–25 cm long; 1–3 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 3–6 cm long; bearing 1–10 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle axis scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 5–10 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 15–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 2.7–3 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 15–20 mm long; 1.1–1.4 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 13–14 mm long; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous; hairy above. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 7.3–10.5 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel. Lemma surface tuberculate; rough above; pubescent. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs yellow, or tawny. Lemma apex surmounted by a ring of hairs; with this appendage 2.2–4.4 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 40–50 mm long overall; with twisted column; limb puberulous. Column of lemma awn 20–25 mm long; puberulous. Palea 5–7 mm long; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea surface puberulous.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 2.4 mm long. Anthers 3; 3.3–4.4 mm long. Stigmas 2.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia and New Zealand.

NOTES Stipeae. Townrow 1994.

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