Stipa kyzylkiensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms 80–95 cm long. Culm-internodes antrorsely scabrous. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a ciliolate membrane; 3–3.5 mm long; 1.2–1.4 mm long on basal shoots; scaberulous on abaxial surface. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 0.25–0.4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially; puberulous; hairy adaxially.

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

Panicle contracted; linear; 20–30 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 21–23 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 2 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 21–23 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 21–23 mm long; membranous; without keels. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 9–10 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy in lines (7 lines). Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex pubescent; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 100–110 mm long overall; with twisted column; limb puberulous; with 0.1–0.2 mm long hairs. Column of lemma awn puberulous. Palea without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia.

NOTES Stipeae. Kotuchov 2006.

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