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 margelanica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 40–60 cm long; 3 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or papillose; outer margin glabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–4 mm long; 1–3 mm long on basal shoots; pubescent on abaxial surface; lacerate; obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 5–17 cm long; 1.5–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous.

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

Panicle open; linear; 12–23 cm long; 2–3 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate; 3–7 cm long; bearing 1–3 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 19–23 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 1.5–2 mm long; pilose; pungent; with circular scar. Floret callus hairs 1 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 19–23 mm long; 1.1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 17–20 mm long; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 9–10 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below; hairy in lines. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs 0.5–0.6 mm long. Lemma apex surmounted by a ring of hairs; with this appendage 0.2–0.5 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 90–110 mm long overall; with twisted column; limb scabrous. Middle segment of lemma awn 10–12 mm long. Column of lemma awn 18–25 mm long. Palea without keels. Palea surface puberulous; hairy on back.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 2–2.3 mm long; glabrous, or ciliate. Anthers 3; 3 mm long; yellow; anther tip smooth. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 5.5–6.5 mm long. Embryo 0.4 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia.

NOTES Stipeae. Freitag 1995.

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