GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Stipa blackii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 100 cm long; 1.5–2.5 mm diam.; 3–4 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Culm-nodes swollen; pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous; pubescent; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs pubescent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.3–1.5 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10–20 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scabrous; rough on both sides; pubescent; hairy abaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; 10–30 cm long; 2–6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2–8 cm long. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels terete, or angular; 5–13 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 10–17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 1.2–2.3 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 10–17 mm long; 1.2 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface smooth, or scabrous. Lower glume margins eciliate, or ciliate. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume oblong; 8–15 mm long; membranous; without keels; 4–5 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblanceolate; subterete; gibbous; 5–7 mm long; coriaceous; dark brown; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface tuberculate; pilose; hairy on veins. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs yellow. Lemma apex scabrous; surmounted by a ring of hairs; with this appendage 2–3 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 28–40 mm long overall; with twisted column. Middle segment of lemma awn 7–10 mm long. Column of lemma awn 6–10 mm long. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3; 2.3–3.5 mm long; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3.4–3.8 mm long. Embryo 0.33–0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 0.9 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia and New Zealand.

NOTES Stipeae. Vickery etc 1994.

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