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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Stipagrostis sabulicola

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; reed-like; 100–200 cm long; 1.2–5 mm diam. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches fastigiate. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades erect; filiform; convolute; 25–60 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; shorter than basal leaves; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 10–30 cm long; 1–2 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 9–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 1.5–2 mm long; bearded; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–11 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–12 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4.75–6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or punctate. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 6.5–10 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 1–1.5 mm long; with bearded apex (2 hair-like appendages). Lateral lemma awns 6.5–10 mm long; subequal to principal; plumose. Palea without keels.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 3–3.5 mm long. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Aristideae. De Winter 1993.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Awn plume obtuse.

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