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 ramosissima

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 100–250 cm long; 0.5–7 mm diam.; 6–9 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes swollen. Lateral branches fastigiate. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.25–0.5 mm long; erose. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; 35–40 cm long; 1–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scabrous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 8–20 cm long; 2–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 3.5–5.5 cm long.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; subterete; 2.3–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.2 mm long; pilose; acute. Floret callus hairs 0.25–0.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.3–3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex erose; acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.4–2.8 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth. Upper glume apex erose; acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 1.8–2.5 mm long; membranous; dark brown; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface tuberculate; glabrous. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate; 17–30 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 5–7 mm long. Palea 0.33 length of lemma; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1–1.3 mm long; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1.5–1.6 mm long. Embryo 0.25 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 0.33 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Stipeae. Vickery etc 1994.

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