Stipagrostis griffithii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths coriaceous; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; 15–30 cm long. Culm-internodes distally woolly. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curved; flat, or conduplicate; 4–8 cm long; 1 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface woolly; hairy on both sides (towards base).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 8–16 cm long. Panicle axis with scattered hairs. Panicle branches pubescent in axils (woolly).

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 30–35 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 3 mm long; bearded; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 30–35 mm long; 1.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 20–25 mm long; 2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 10 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 70–75 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma; limb plumose. Column of lemma awn 10–20 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 40–45 mm long; shorter than principal; plumose (above). Palea 0.33 length of lemma; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Aristideae. Fl Iran 1993.

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