Stipagrostis foexiana

HABIT Perennial; cushion forming. Culms 15–40 cm long. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curled; filiform; convolute; 5–11 cm long; 0.6 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; hirsute; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 4–16 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 11–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 0.8–1 mm long; pubescent; with longer hairs above; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 10–12.5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 11–13 mm long; 3.5–4.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 3 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 25–40 mm long limb; with a straight or slightly twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma; limb plumose; glabrescent towards base of limb (tip obtuse). Column of lemma awn 7–13 mm long; glabrous; without distinct apical hairs. Lateral lemma awns 14–17 mm long; shorter than principal; glabrous. Palea 0.1–0.2 length of lemma; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 4–6 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north, west tropical, and northeast tropical. Asia-temperate: Arabia.

NOTES Aristideae. Fl Afr N.

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