Stipa kingii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; slender; 20–40 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades flexuous; filiform; involute; 1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 4–9 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 3.5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 4 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 3–3.5 mm long; membranous; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; 12 mm long overall; tardily deciduous; limb puberulous. Palea 1 length of lemma; coriaceous; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anther tip penicillate.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southwest USA.

NOTES Stipeae. Man US Gr 1994.

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