Stipa iranica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms geniculately ascending; 40–90 cm long; 3 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths subequal to internodes, or longer than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface, or pubescent; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 10–25 cm long; 1.5–3.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous, or scabrous; rough abaxially; pilose; hairy adaxially.

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

Panicle contracted; linear; 10–25 cm long; 1.5–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–2 -nate; 2–4 cm long; bearing 1–3 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches smooth, or scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 30–40 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 1–2 mm long; pubescent; pungent; with elliptic scar. Floret callus hairs 0.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 30–40 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 5–9 -veined. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume linear, or lanceolate; 30–40 mm long; membranous; without keels; 5–9 -veined. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 9–12 mm long; coriaceous; light green; without keel. Lemma surface pilose; hairy below. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs 0.4–0.9 mm long. Lemma apex surmounted by a ring of hairs; with this appendage 0.5–1 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 130–180 mm long overall; with twisted column; limb pubescent. Middle segment of lemma awn 14–17 mm long. Column of lemma awn 20–28 mm long; puberulous; with 0.15–0.3 mm long hairs. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea surface pilose; hairy on back.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; lanceolate; 1.4–1.6 mm long; glabrous. Anthers 3; 3.5–5 mm long; yellow; anther tip smooth. Stigmas 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 9 mm long. Embryo 0.15 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Stipeae. Freitag 2005.

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