Stipa rosea

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50–60 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–4 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 12–20 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 12–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending. Panicle branches terete; smooth; with scattered hairs.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus brief; 0.5 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; red; without keels. Lower glume lateral veins obscure. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7 mm long; membranous; red; without keels. Upper glume primary vein obscure. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 3 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma surface with conspicuous apical hairs. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs 3 mm long. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn flexuous, or bigeniculate; 10 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3; anther tip smooth. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Hitchcock 1995.

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