Stipa caragana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–100 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.7–0.9 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 10–20 cm long; 1–3 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; effuse; 15–25 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches 7–14 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 4.2–6.3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus 0.3 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 4.2–6.3 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 3–4 mm long; membranous; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; straight, or curved; 7–15 mm long overall; without a column, or with a straight or slightly twisted column; deciduous. Column of lemma awn pubescent. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, and China. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl Pak 1993.

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