Stipa calamagrostis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls evident. Culms robust; 60–120 cm long. Leaf-sheaths smooth; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking, or ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 15–30 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 8–9 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; shiny. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–9 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 3–4 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface villous. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs 3–4 mm long. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn straight, or curved; 10 mm long overall. Palea 0.8 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3; 3.5–4 mm long; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central, southwestern, and southeastern.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl Eur 1995.

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