Stipa pellita

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms robust; 40–80 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface, or puberulous; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–6 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 0.4–0.8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; densely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 15–25 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 50–65 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 60–65 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 50–60 mm long; membranous; without keels. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 16–17 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface puberulous; hairy below; hairy in lines. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 220–260 mm long overall; with twisted column; limb pubescent; with 0.3–0.5 mm long hairs. Column of lemma awn scabrous. Palea without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Caucasus.

NOTES Stipeae. Zlaki 1999.

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