Stipagrostis raddiana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–40 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Lateral branches suffrutescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 10–15 cm long; 0.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 10–20 cm long. Panicle branches bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 13–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; bearded; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 13–16 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 13–15 mm long; 3–4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; subterete; 4 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 50 mm long limb; with a straight or slightly twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma; limb plumose; hairy throughout limb. Column of lemma awn 10 mm long; glabrous; without distinct apical hairs. Lateral lemma awns 15–16 mm long; shorter than principal; glabrous. Palea without keels.

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

NOTES Aristideae. Fl Iran.

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