Stipa karakabinica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms 25–40 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or puberulous. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 3.5–5 mm long; 0.5–2 mm long on basal shoots; pubescent on abaxial surface. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 0.3–0.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially; puberulous; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath.

Panicle contracted; linear; 10 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 18–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 2–2.3 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; membranous; without keels. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 18–20 mm long; membranous; without keels. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 9–11 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy in lines (6 lines). Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 70–100 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 35 mm long. Palea without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Siberia.

NOTES Stipeae. Kotuchov 2006.

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