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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 velutina

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms geniculately ascending; 30–80 cm long; 1.5–2 mm diam. Culm-internodes ridged; retrorsely scabrous. Culm-nodes swollen; pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tight; ribbed; pubescent; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs pubescent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.2–1 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; entire, or erose; truncate, or obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 20–40 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; puberulous; densely hairy; hairy on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 15 cm long; 0.5–2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1–3.5 cm long. Panicle axis puberulous. Panicle branches puberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels angular; 1–5 mm long; puberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 9–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1–2 mm long; pubescent; acute. Floret callus hairs 0.1–0.8 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 9–12 mm long; 1.2–1.4 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 6.5–10 mm long; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 5–6.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface granulose; pubescent. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs 1–1.5 mm long. Lemma apex emarginate, or acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 30–45 mm long overall; with twisted column. Middle segment of lemma awn 3–16 mm long. Column of lemma awn 7–9 mm long; pubescent; with 0.1–0.3 mm long hairs. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back. Palea apex ciliate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.8–1.2 mm long. Anthers 3; 1–2 mm long; anther tip smooth. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Stipeae. Vickery etc 1994.

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