GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Stipagrostis dinteri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 20–40 cm long; 2–4 -noded. Culm-internodes scaberulous; distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 7–15 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides; pilose; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; interrupted; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate; 5–10 cm long; bearing 1–3 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 12–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 2 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 12–16 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume linear, or lanceolate; 12–16 mm long; 2–2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6 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 4–10 mm long limb; with a straight or slightly twisted column; deciduous; abscissing across body of lemma; limb plumose; glabrescent towards base of limb. Column of lemma awn 1–2 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 1–3 mm long; shorter than principal; glabrous. Palea without keels.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 3.5 mm long; truncate. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Aristideae. De Winter 1993.

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