Stipagrostis pennata

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 20–45 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform, or linear; flat, or involute; 5–30 cm long; 1–5 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; pungent.

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

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 10–20 cm long; 8–15 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1–1.5 mm long; bearded; hairy on the margins; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 16 mm long; 1.1–1.2 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 13–14 mm long; 2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5–6 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 10–15 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma; limb plumose. Column of lemma awn 1–2 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 10–15 mm long; subequal to principal; plumose. Palea 0.33 length of lemma; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: eastern. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet Middle Asia, western Asia, and China.

NOTES Aristideae. Fl Iran 1993.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Awn articulation oblique.

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