Stipa bungeana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–60 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades curled; filiform; conduplicate; 4–8 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 7–15 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 9–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; glabrous; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–11 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 5–6 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above; glabrous, or pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex surmounted by a ring of hairs; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 30–80 mm long overall; with twisted column; limb glabrous. Column of lemma awn 50–60 mm long; glabrous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3; anther tip smooth. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, western Asia, China, and Mongolia.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl Iran 1995.

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