Stipagrostis lanata

HABIT Perennial. Rootstock evident. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 10–15 cm long. Culm-internodes distally woolly. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curved, or flexuous; convolute; 5–10 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; densely hairy; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 5–10 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 13–14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1.5–2 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 11 mm long; 0.75–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 13–14 mm long; 3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4–5 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 30–35 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma; limb plumose; glabrescent towards base of limb. Column of lemma awn 4–5 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 20–25 mm long; shorter than principal; plumose. Palea without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north. Asia-temperate: western Asia and Arabia.

NOTES Aristideae. Fl Iraq 1993.

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