Stipagrostis vexillifeta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 20–40 cm long; 0.5–1 mm diam.; 5–7 -noded; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes terete; 2.5–5 cm long; scaberulous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths tight; 1–4 cm long; mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; striately veined; scaberulous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 5–15 cm long; 1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 4–7 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 9–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.5 mm long; pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 9–10 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–10 mm long; 3–4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; subterete; 2–3 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 30–40 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma; limb plumose; glabrescent towards tip and base of limb. Column of lemma awn 9 mm long; glabrous; with bearded apex. Lateral lemma awns ascending; 10 mm long; shorter than principal; glabrous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Aristideae. Kers 2005.

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