Stipa scabra

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls evident. Culms 30–60 cm long; compressible. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–5 mm long; bilobed. Leaf-blades convolute; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous, or puberulous; hairy abaxially.

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

Panicle contracted; linear; 15–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 3–5 cm long. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 8–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1–1.5 mm long; bearded; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–10 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–10 mm long; hyaline; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 4–5 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel. Lemma surface scabrous; puberulous. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; 40–60 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 10–12 mm long; glabrous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anther tip smooth. Stigmas 2.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: south-central.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl W Austral 1994.

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