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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 nivicola

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 25–50 cm long; 1 mm diam.; firm; 2–3 -noded. Culm-internodes terete; distally pubescent. Culm-nodes flush with internodes; glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths tight; ribbed; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.4–1.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades convolute; 10–20 cm long; 1.5–3.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 8–12 fertile spikelets.

Panicle contracted; linear; 5–20 cm long; 1–2.5 cm wide; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches 3–4 cm long. Panicle axis scaberulous. Panicle branches angular; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels angular; 10–30 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 20–25 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 3.5 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 20–25 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; purple; without keels; 4 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 15–20 mm long; membranous; purple; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 12–15 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; pubescent. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs 0.5–1 mm long. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 85–130 mm long overall; with twisted column; limb pubescent. Middle segment of lemma awn 10 mm long. Column of lemma awn 45–60 mm long; puberulous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea surface glabrous.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1–1.7 mm long. Anthers 3; anther tip smooth. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 6–7.5 mm long. Embryo 0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Stipeae. Vickery etc 1994.

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