Stipa magrebensis

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 15–45 cm long. Culm-nodes purple. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–1 mm long; scaberulous on abaxial surface. Leaf-blades convolute; 6–27 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 10–20 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 14–25 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1.5–4.5 mm long; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 14–25 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 14–24 mm long; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 2.3–6.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 50–170 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous. Palea 0.8–2.8 mm long; without keels. Palea surface puberulous.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 0.8–2 mm long; membranous. Anthers 3; retained within floret.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 2.5–5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north.

NOTES Stipeae. Vasquez & Devesa 2005.

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