Stipa confusa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 30–120 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2–1 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 1–3 mm wide; coriaceous. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; puberulous; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; oblong; 5–30 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 6–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.7–1 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 6–13 mm long; 1.5–1.6 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough generally. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 4–8 mm long; membranous; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy all along. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 14–25 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn pubescent. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Siberia and Soviet far east.

NOTES Stipeae. Zlaki 1997.

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