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Descriptions

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

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

Stipagrostis libyca

HABIT Annual; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 15–30 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curled; filiform; conduplicate; 1–3 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough abaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

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

Panicle open; lanceolate; 6–10 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches 1 -nate. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous; ciliate; hairy at tip.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 2–2.5 mm long; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 10–12 mm long; 0.7–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous; glabrous, or pilose. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 14 mm long; 3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; subterete; 5–6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3-branched; with 30–35 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma; limb plumose; glabrescent towards tip and base of limb. Column of lemma awn 1–2 mm long; glabrous; without distinct apical hairs. Lateral lemma awns 10–17 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea absent or minute.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north.

NOTES Aristideae. Scholz 1997.

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