Stipagrostis lutescens

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms 70–100 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches suffrutescent. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades spreading; curved; aciculate; flat, or conduplicate; 5–10 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; effuse; 10–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1–5 -nate. Panicle branches glabrous in axils, or bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 12–14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 2–2.5 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 9–11 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acuminate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume lanceolate; 12–14 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acuminate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 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 20–27 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma; limb plumose; glabrescent towards base of limb. Column of lemma awn 0.5–5 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 6–8 mm long; shorter than principal; ciliate, or plumose. 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.