Stipa spartea

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 70–120 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–3 mm long; glabrous on abaxial surface; obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 20–30 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or oblong; dense; nodding; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; bearing 1–2 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 30–40 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 4–7 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 30–40 mm long; hyaline; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 13–25 mm long; coriaceous; dark brown; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea; ciliate. Lemma apex acute; surmounted by a ring of hairs; with this appendage 0.5–1 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 50–200 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea 1 length of lemma; coriaceous (AT TIP); 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1.5 mm long. Anthers 3; 1 mm long; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Subarctic, western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, and south-central USA.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl Pac NW 1994.

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