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Descriptions

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

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

Stipa nitida

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 75 cm long; 1–3 mm diam.; compressible; 2–3 -noded. Culm-nodes swollen. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface, or puberulous; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a ciliolate membrane; 0.3–1 mm long; truncate. Collar glabrous. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 20–40 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scaberulous, or scabrous. Leaf-blade margins glabrous, or ciliate. Leaf-blade apex hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; linear; 25–55 cm long; 0.5–7 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 5–6 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels flattened; 2–10 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 8–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1.2–2.2 mm long; pilose; pungent. Floret callus hairs 1.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 9–13 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–13 mm long; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 5–6 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex emarginate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; recurved at base of limb; 45–70 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 6–9 mm long; hispidulous; with 0.1–0.3 mm long hairs. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea surface puberulous; hairy on back.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.6–1.2 mm long. Anthers 3; 1–3.5 mm long; anther tip smooth. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2.5–3.5 mm long. Embryo 0.25–0.4 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 0.3–0.8 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia and New Zealand.

NOTES Stipeae. Vickery etc 1994.

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