Stipa brevis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations extravaginal and intravaginal. Culms erect; 10–20 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface, or puberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; obtuse. Collar glabrous. Leaf-blades straight, or curved; filiform; convolute; 2–8 cm long; 0.3–0.4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough abaxially; puberulous; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 8–15 fertile spikelets.

Panicle contracted; linear; 3–5 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Panicle axis pilose. Panicle branches pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 3.5–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus brief; 0.5 mm long; pubescent; hairy in a ring below; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5–5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–5 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 2.5–3.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; with conspicuous apical hairs. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs 1–1.5 mm long. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; 9–14 mm long overall; persistent. Palea 2–2.5 mm long. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back.

FLOWER Lodicules 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1.8 mm long. Hilum linear; 0.66 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Nicora 1997.

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