Stipa parodiana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths red; pilose. Culms 30–40 cm long; 1 mm diam.; 2–3 -noded. Culm-internodes distally pilose; with reflexed hairs. Culm-nodes swollen; purple; glabrous. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 3 mm long; 0.5 mm long on basal shoots; acute. Leaf-blades 1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 14–18 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; linear; 10–15 cm long; 1.5–2 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 4–10 mm long; ciliate; hairy above.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 34–48 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 2–3 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 34–48 mm long; 1.05 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume linear; 32–38 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 11–13 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; with lobes 1 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 50–70 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 18–25 mm long. Palea 2.3–5 mm long; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3; 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.