Stipa editorum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms erect; 80–100 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–6 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 20–40 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 5–10 cm long; naked below, or bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; pubescent (white); pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 9 mm long; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins obscure. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 5–6 mm long; coriaceous; pallid; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface tuberculate; pubescent. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs white. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 30–40 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn pubescent. Palea 0.4 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 North America: Mexico.

NOTES Stipeae. N Amer Fl 1994.

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