Stipagrostis rigidifolia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 5–15 cm long. Culm-internodes distally woolly. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curved; filiform; involute; 2–3 cm long; 0.5 mm wide; stiff.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate; 5–7 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 2–2.2 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 10 mm long; 0.75–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 12 mm long; 3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

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 30–40 mm long limb; with a straight or slightly twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma; limb plumose; glabrescent towards tip and base of limb. Column of lemma awn 5–10 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 17 mm long; shorter than principal; glabrous. Palea without keels.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north.

NOTES Aristideae. Fl Libya 1993.

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