Stipa jacquemontii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 30–90 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2–0.4 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 10–20 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 6–16 cm long; 2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending; 2–3 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus brief; 0.3–0.4 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 5–7 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 4.3–5 mm long; membranous; without keel. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 35 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 15 mm long; puberulous. Palea 0.75 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 Asia-temperate: western Asia and China. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl Pak 1993.

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