Stipa coronata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 50–200 cm long; 2–6 mm diam. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths smooth; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 15–30 cm long; 3–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or lanceolate; 20–50 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; curved; 1.5 mm long; pilose; unequally 2-toothed.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 20 mm long; 1.1–1.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 13–18 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 7.5–9 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface villous. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs 2–4 mm long. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 35–50 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 10 mm long. Palea 0.6 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 North America: southwest USA and Mexico.

NOTES Stipeae. Gr Baja Cal 1994.

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