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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Stipa lessingiana

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Culms 100–150 cm long. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 20–40 cm long; 4–8 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; effuse; nodding; 50–75 cm long. Primary panicle branches 5–8 -nate; whorled at most nodes. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 2.75–3.25 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; scarious; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.75–3.25 mm long; 1.3–1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; 1-keeled; 1(–3) -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex erose; obtuse; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; laterally compressed; 2–2.25 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins transversely connected at apex. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; bigeniculate; 6–8 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous; limb hirsute. Palea elliptic; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; oblanceolate; 0.6 mm long; membranous. Anthers 1; 1 mm long; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform. Embryo 0.3 length of caryopsis. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southeastern and eastern. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, and China.

NOTES Stipeae. WDC.

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