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 breviseta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 23–32 cm long; 2 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades straight; filiform; conduplicate; 4.5–16 cm long; 0.5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; grooved adaxially; scaberulous; rough adaxially, or on both sides. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

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

Panicle spiciform; linear; 6–7 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus brief; 0.25 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 6 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 6 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 3 mm long; coriaceous; dark brown; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex surmounted by a ring of hairs; with this appendage 2 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate; 8 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column; deciduous. Column of lemma awn 3 mm long. Palea 1 mm long; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; isodiametric; 2–2.5 mm long; dark brown. Hilum linear; 0.33 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Caro 1997.

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