Stipa holosericea

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–90 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or puberulous; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 5–11 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; 1–2 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough abaxially; pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; bearing few spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 15–40 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 15–40 mm long; membranous; without keels. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 11–18 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea; ciliate. Lemma apex surmounted by a ring of hairs; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 180–250 mm long overall; with twisted column; limb glabrous, or puberulous. Column of lemma awn puberulous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, and western Asia.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl Turk 1993.

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