Stipa parviflora

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; 30–70 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades convolute; 10–20 cm long; 3–7 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; elliptic; effuse; 10–20 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 10–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; bearded; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 10–15 mm long; 1.4–1.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–10 mm long; 1.6–1.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 4–6 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface villous. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 70–100 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous; limb scaberulous. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea 0.5 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern. Africa: north. Asia-temperate: western Asia and Arabia.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl Iran.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Lemma tip dorsiventrally flattened

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