Stipa choconensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths red. Culms erect; 30–40 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pilose. Leaf-sheaths 7–10 cm long; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Collar glabrous. Leaf-blades curved, or flexuous; filiform; conduplicate; 35–38 cm long; stiff.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 10–12 fertile spikelets; aerial, or shorter than basal leaves.

Panicle contracted; oblong; 8–10 cm long; bearing few spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 37–38 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 3 mm long; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 37–38 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels. Lower glume surface pilose; hairy at base. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume linear, or lanceolate; 37–38 mm long; 3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels. Upper glume surface pilose; hairy at base. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 12–13 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma surface pilose; hairy all along (longer above). Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs 1–2 mm long. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate; 73–80 mm long overall; with 55–60 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous. Column of lemma awn 18–20 mm long; ciliate. Palea 46 mm long; 0.5 length of lemma; without keels. Palea surface pilose; hairy on back.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Roig 2011.

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