Stipa eminens

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; slender; 50–120 cm long; wiry. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–6 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 20–35 cm long; 1–2(–3) mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; nodding; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; 3–4 -nate. Panicle branches capillary; bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 8–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1–1.5 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; with lower wider than upper; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–15 mm long; 1.1–1.3 length of upper glume; hyaline; much thinner above; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–12 mm long; 1.5–1.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; much thinner above; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 4.5–7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy all along. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 35–60 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn pubescent. Palea 0.3 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Stipeae. Gr Texas 1994.

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