Stipa pungens

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 15–70 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades involute; 10–30 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

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

Panicle contracted; oblong; 5–6 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 7–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pilose; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 7–12 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–12 mm long; hyaline; without keels. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 3–3.5(–4) mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; with conspicuous apical hairs. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs 2–4 mm long. Lemma apex surmounted by a ring of hairs and with a short cylindrical neck; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 15–30 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea 0.5 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform. Hilum linear.

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

NOTES Stipeae. Gr Bolivia 1997.

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