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Descriptions

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

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

Stipa polyclada

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 50–100 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths puberulous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades curved, or flexuous; flat, or convolute; 2.5–15 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scaberulous; rough abaxially; puberulous; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 5–20 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus brief; 0.2 mm long; pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5 mm long; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 2.2–3 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex emarginate; with a short cylindrical neck; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate, or bigeniculate; 20–35 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column; deciduous. Column of lemma awn 3 mm long. Palea 1 mm long; 0.3 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea surface pubescent.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 0.5 mm long. Anthers 3; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 1.5–1.8 mm long; dark brown. Hilum linear; 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Caro 1995.

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