Stipa platychaeta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes short; woody. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 60–90 cm long; woody; 5–10 -noded. Culm-internodes glaucous; distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 7–15 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; 4–5 cm long; bearing 3–4 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels flexuous; 3–10 mm long; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 12–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.6 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 12–15 mm long; 1.2–1.3 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–12 mm long; membranous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 5 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; recurved at base of limb; flat below (as to limb); 60–80 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 10 mm long; puberulous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anther tip smooth. Stigmas 2.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl W Austral 1994.

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