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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Stipa humilis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons present. Butt sheaths yellow. Culms 20–40 cm long; 1 mm diam.; 2–3 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous, or pubescent. Culm-nodes brown; glabrous. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a ciliolate membrane; 3–4 mm long; 0.2–0.3 mm long on basal shoots; acute. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 10–30 cm long; 0.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scaberulous; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle contracted; 5–9 cm long; 0.5–1 cm wide; bearing few spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2–7 mm long; scabrous; tip widened.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 18–22 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1.5–2 mm long; pilose; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 18–22 mm long; 1.05 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein ciliate. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 16–20 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 7–11 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate; 35–75 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 12–25 mm long; plumose; hairy on upper part; with 8–10 mm long hairs. Palea 4–5 mm long; 0.6 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 6–7 mm long; dark brown. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl Pat 1995.

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