Stipagrostis garubensis

HABIT Perennial. Cataphylls evident. Culms 30–60 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches suffrutescent; arising from lower culm. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades ascending; flexuous; filiform; 6–12 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; pilose; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; lanceolate, or ovate; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1–3 -nate.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 12–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1–1.5 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–12 mm long; 0.66–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex emarginate. Upper glume lanceolate; 12–15 mm long; 2–3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; tuberculate; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 40 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma; limb plumose; hairy throughout limb, or glabrescent towards tip. Column of lemma awn 9–10 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 10–15 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.