GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Stipa patagonica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths red, or purple. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms geniculately ascending; 22–40 cm long; 0.6–1.4 mm diam.; 2 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Culm-nodes constricted; glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5–2 mm long; 0.2–0.3 mm long on basal shoots; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Collar pubescent. Leaf-blades erect; straight, or curved; deciduous at the ligule; filiform; conduplicate; 5–20 cm long; 0.8–1 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially, or on both sides. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle contracted; oblong; 5–10 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches appressed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 20–33 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 2.5–3 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 20–33 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 20–33 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 10–13.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex emarginate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate; 35–55 mm long overall; with 25–45 mm long limb; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 8–10 mm long; plumose; with 7–10 mm long hairs. Palea linear; 0.8 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back; hairy in the middle.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1.5–3 mm long. Anthers 3; 5–5.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 8–8.5 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Torres 1997.

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