Stipagrostis shawii

HABIT Annual. Culms 10–15 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or woolly. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; 5–10 cm long; 0.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 5–10 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels ciliate; hairy at tip.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 15–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 2–2.5 mm long; pubescent; with longer hairs above; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 11–14 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 7(–9) -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface puberulous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 15–16 mm long; 4–5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous; with basal tufts of hair (two). Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3–4 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 45–47 mm long limb; with a straight or slightly twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma; limb plumose; glabrescent towards base of limb. Column of lemma awn 3–5 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 12–15 mm long; shorter than principal; glabrous. Palea without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north.

NOTES Aristideae. Fl Libya 1993.

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