Stipa caucasica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 25–70 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous, or bearded. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–0.7 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 7–15 cm long; 2–3.5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex pungent; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle contracted; linear; 5–10 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 25–50 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 2–3 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 25–50 mm long; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 9–13 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent, or pilose; hairy in lines. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex surmounted by a ring of hairs; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; spreading (falcate); 80–135 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous; limb plumose; with 4–6 mm long hairs; glabrescent towards tip. Column of lemma awn hirtellous; with 1–3 mm long hairs. 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. Hilum linear.

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

NOTES Stipeae. Fl Pak 1993.

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