GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Stipa breviglumis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths distinctly ribbed. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 150 cm long; 2.5 mm diam.; 2–4 -noded. Culm-nodes swollen; glabrous. Lateral branches ample. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths loose, or inflated; scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–7 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10–20 cm long; 2–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 20–40 cm long; 2–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 5–10 cm long. Panicle axis angular; glabrous, or puberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2–6 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 5–6.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 0.5 mm long; pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 5.5–6.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface puberulous. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 4.5–6 mm long; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 3–4.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs 0.2–0.4 mm long. Lemma apex with a short cylindrical neck and surmounted by a ring of hairs; with this appendage 0.2 mm long (as to hairs); awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate, or bigeniculate; 20–35 mm long overall; with twisted column. Middle segment of lemma awn 5–8 mm long. Column of lemma awn 5–6.5 mm long. Palea 0.5–0.6 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3; 1.25 mm long; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Stipeae. Vickery etc 1994.

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