Stipa mapuche

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths purple. Culms erect; 26–30 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 8–9 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; linear, or oblong; 8–9 cm long; 3–4 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 26–28 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; 26–28 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume linear, or lanceolate; 26–28 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 12–13 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma surface pilose; hairy all along. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate; 47–51 mm long overall; with 29–31 mm long limb; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 18–20 mm long; ciliate. Palea 8–8.5 mm long; 0.66 length of lemma; without keels. Palea surface pilose; hairy on back.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Roig 2011.

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