Stipagrostis brevifolia

HABIT Perennial. Rootstock evident. Rhizomes elongated. Glands wart-like. Culms 50–100 cm long. Culm-internodes glandular; antrorsely scabrous. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches suffrutescent. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glandular; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs woolly. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 0.5–12 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; continuous, or interrupted; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 12–17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 2–2.5 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–15 mm long; 0.66–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; glandular; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 12–17 mm long; 2–2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; glandular; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5.5–7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 23–40 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma; limb plumose; glabrescent towards tip and base of limb. Column of lemma awn 4–9 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 10–20 mm long; shorter than principal; glabrous. Palea without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Aristideae. De Winter 1993.

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