Stipagrostis drarii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 50–100 cm long. Culm-internodes distally woolly. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curled; filiform; involute; 15–30 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface ribbed.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 10–30 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 9.5–10.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; pubescent; with longer hairs above; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 7.5–9.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 9.5–10.5 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acuminate; muticous, or mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; subterete; 4.5–5.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 13–25 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma; limb plumose; glabrescent towards tip. Column of lemma awn 1.5–2 mm long; glabrous; without distinct apical hairs. Lateral lemma awns 7–17 mm long; shorter than principal; glabrous. Palea without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia and Arabia.

NOTES Aristideae. TAC.

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