Stipa malalhuensis

HABIT Perennial. Butt sheaths yellow; glabrous. Culms 30–40 cm long; 1 mm diam.; 2–3 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Culm-nodes flush with internodes; brown; glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3 mm long; 1 mm long on basal shoots. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 15–25 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 15–25 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; oblong; 8–15 cm long; 0.5–1 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 8–14 mm long; ciliate; hairy above.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 29–32 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 3 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 29–32 mm long; 1.05 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 27–31 mm long; membranous; without keels. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 10–12 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 geniculate; 90–110 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 17–18 mm long; plumose; with 4–5 mm long hairs. Palea 6–8 mm long; 0–1 -veined; without keels. Palea surface pubescent.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3; yellow; anther tip smooth. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl Pat 1995.

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