Stipa compressa

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms 20–45 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 10 mm long; erose, or bilobed, or trilobed. Leaf-blades filiform, or linear; involute; 1–2 mm wide; firm.

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

Panicle open; 20 cm long. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 10–15 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 3 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 13 mm long; 1.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 9 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 7–8 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 70–170 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl W Austral 1994.

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