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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Stipa curticoma
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 60–120 cm long; 2–3 mm diam.; 3–4 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes swollen; pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or puberulous; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 1 mm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5–1.5 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 15–30 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scaberulous.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; 15–30 cm long; 5–7 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 5–10 cm long. Panicle axis smooth, or scabrous; with scattered hairs.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 4–16 mm long.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 12–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 1.5–2.5 mm long; pubescent; pungent.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 12–16 mm long; 1.1–1.3 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough generally, or on veins. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume oblong; 9–14 mm long; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough generally, or on veins. Upper glume apex acuminate.
FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; subterete; 6.5–8 mm long; coriaceous; dark brown, or black; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface tuberculate; pilose. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; with lobes 0.1–0.5 mm long; with a short cylindrical neck and surmounted by a ring of hairs; with this appendage 0.5–1 mm long (as to hairs); awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; bigeniculate; 45–65 mm long overall; with twisted column. Middle segment of lemma awn 9–14 mm long. Column of lemma awn 9–11 mm long; pubescent; with 0.25–0.5 mm long hairs. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.
FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1–2 mm long. Anthers 3; 3–3.5 mm long; anther tip smooth. Stigmas 2.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 4 mm long. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 0.9 length of caryopsis.
DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.
NOTES Stipeae. Vickery etc 1994.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
