Stipa echinata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50 cm long; 1.5–2 mm diam.; 3–4 -noded. Culm-internodes estriate, or ridged. Culm-nodes flush with internodes; pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tight; ribbed; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath auricles erect; 1–3.5 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a ciliolate membrane; 1.5–2.5 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate, or obtuse. Leaf-blades erect; convolute; 7–15 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex pungent; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 10–20 cm long; 1.5–3 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1.5–2.5 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels flattened; 2–10 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 21–23 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 2.6–3.2 mm long; pubescent; pungent. Floret callus hairs 0.1–1 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 21–23 mm long; 1.3–1.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface smooth to scabrous. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 14–18 mm long; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth to scabrous. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 8–10 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface tuberculate; pubescent. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs white, or yellow; 0.4–0.7 mm long. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; with lobes 0.2–0.7 mm long; surmounted by a ring of hairs; with this appendage 0.6–1.2 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; bigeniculate; 90–110 mm long overall; with twisted column. Middle segment of lemma awn 15–20 mm long. Column of lemma awn 10–20 mm long; pubescent; with 0.2–0.8 mm long hairs. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1–1.5 mm long. Anthers 3; 3.2–3.8 mm long; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3 mm long. Embryo 0.15 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 0.7 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.