Stipa scabrifolia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 35–60 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar glabrous. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 10–17 cm long; 0.3–0.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough abaxially; puberulous; hairy adaxially.

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

Panicle contracted; linear; 10–12 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels puberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 6–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus brief; 0.5 mm long; glabrous; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 6–8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–8 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 3–4 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous; rough above; pilose; hairy below. Lemma margins convolute; exposing palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; 18–55 mm long overall. Palea 1.5 mm long; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 2–2.5 mm long. Hilum linear; 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Nicora 1997.

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