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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Stipa clandestina

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 50–80 cm long; 1–2 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; pilose on abaxial surface. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate, or involute; 10–20 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; light green. Leaf-blade apex pungent; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal, or terminal and axillary; embraced at base by subtending leaf, or enclosed. Axillary inflorescences different from terminal (cleistogamous); enclosed.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending. Panicle branches bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1 mm long; pubescent (white); acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 8 mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 6 mm long; membranous; pallid; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; hairy below. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs white. Lemma apex surmounted by a ring of hairs; with this appendage 1 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 11–18 mm long overall; with twisted column. Middle segment of lemma awn 3–5 mm long. Column of lemma awn 3–5 mm long. Palea 0.9 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 Africa: south. North America: Mexico.

NOTES Stipeae. N Amer Fl 1994.

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