Stipagrostis ciliata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–85 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curled; filiform; convolute; 3–25 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; 10–30 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 9–14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 1.5–2.5 mm long; bearded; with longer hairs above; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 8.5–11 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–14 mm long; 1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; subterete; 6–10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 35–45 mm long limb; with a straight or slightly twisted column; deciduous; abscissing across body of lemma; limb plumose; glabrescent towards tip and base of limb. Column of lemma awn 9–10 mm long; glabrous; without distinct apical hairs. Lateral lemma awns ascending; 15–20 mm long; shorter than principal; glabrous. Palea without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north, Macaronesia, west tropical, northeast tropical, and south. Asia-temperate: western Asia and Arabia. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Aristideae. FZ.

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