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 richteriana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 50–60 cm long; 3 -noded. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Leaf-sheaths pubescent; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 3–15 cm long; 0.3–0.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; densely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex hardened.

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

Panicle open; linear; 20–25 cm long; 2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate; bearing 1–5 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 10–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.6–0.8 mm long; pilose; unequally 2-toothed; with circular scar. Floret callus hairs 0.7 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–15 mm long; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 6–7 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy in lines. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs 0.5 mm long. Lemma apex surmounted by a ring of hairs; with this appendage 0.5–1.5 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 60–70 mm long overall; with twisted column; limb puberulous. Middle segment of lemma awn 11 mm long. Column of lemma awn 14–16 mm long; puberulous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea apex ciliate.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1.5 mm long. Anthers 3; anther tip smooth. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet Middle Asia, and China.

NOTES Stipeae. Freitag 1995.

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