Stipa brachyptera

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms 30–50 cm long; 3 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1.5–5 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 3–8 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; grey-green. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 3–7 fertile spikelets. Peduncle glabrous.

Panicle open, or contracted; linear, or lanceolate; 3–8 cm long; bearing few spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 50–70 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 50–70 mm long; membranous; without keels. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 15.5–18.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea; pubescent. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 170–220 mm long overall; with twisted column; limb plumose; with 3.5–5 mm long hairs. Column of lemma awn 40–50 mm long; pubescent; with 0.1–1 mm long hairs. Palea without keels.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 11–12 mm long. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: eastern.

NOTES Stipeae. Klokov 2006.

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