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Descriptions

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

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

Stipagrostis geminifolia

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–25 cm long. Culm-internodes unequal, the upper longer; 4–12 cm long (upper). Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches suffrutescent. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades spreading; deciduous at the ligule; aciculate; involute; 1(–2) cm long; 0.3–0.8 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf. Peduncle 0.5–2 cm long; glabrous, or pubescent above.

Panicle contracted; oblong, or ovate; equilateral, or secund; 2–4 cm long; 1–2.5 cm wide; gathered into fascicles. Panicle axis glabrous, or pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 10–12 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; 8–12 mm long; 0.8–1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume linear, or lanceolate; 10–12 mm long; 2–2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4–6 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 20–30 mm long limb; with a straight or slightly twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma; limb plumose. Column of lemma awn 1–2 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 15 mm long; shorter than principal; glabrous. Palea without keels.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2 mm long. Embryo 0.33–0.66 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Aristideae. De Winter 1993.

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