Jepson eFlora: Key page
Vascular Plants of California
Key to families | Table of families and genera

Key to Stipa

View taxon page for Stipa

(For a list of species in Stipa, use the above link.)

Jepson Manual glossary definitions can be seen by moving your cursor over words underlined with dots.

1. Florets 2–6 per  ..... S. mauritanica

1' Florets 1 per spikelet

2. Palea grooved lengthwise

3. Blade 0.8–1.5 mm wide;  10–16 mm ..... S. purpurata

3' Blade 0.2–0.4 mm wide; awns 15–25 mm ..... S. chaetophora

2' Palea flat

4. Leaf tips sharp, stiff;   glabrous to scabrousfruit ribbed ..... S. brachychaeta

4' Leaf tips  to , not both sharp and stiff; lemma awn glabrous to scabrous or hairy; fruit not ribbed

5. Lemma margins in age strongly overlapping  length, lemma body generally bumpy throughout, tip with crown;  1/4–1/2 lemma, glabrous, veins 0

6. Lemma crown generally sharply constricted proximally, distinct from rest of lemma, ± 1/5 lemma, lemma body in age distally ± glabrous ..... S. manicata

6' Lemma crown gradually expanded proximally, weakly to ± distinct from lemma, < 1/6 lemma, lemma body in age distally hairy to ± glabrous, or if crown constricted proximally then lemma body hairy in age

7. Lemma crown hairs 0.3–0.6 mm, awn 12–55 mm, ± 0.1 mm diam, callus 0.4–1.6 mm, lemma body generally hairy in age; stem 0.8–1.2 mm diam ..... S. lepida

7' Lemma crown hairs 0.8–1.1 mm, awn 38–110 mm, 0.2–0.4 mm diam, callus 1.4–3.6 mm, lemma body hairy to mostly glabrous in distal 3/4 in age; stem 1–3.1 mm diam

8. Lemma body in age glabrous in distal 3/4 except on veins ..... S. cernua

8' Lemma body in age hairy throughout ..... S. pulchra

5' Lemma margins in age generally not or only ± overlapping at least part of length, or strongly overlapping in some species with smooth ; lemma bodies generally smooth proximally, tip generally 1–2-lobed; palea 1/3 to ± > lemma, 2-veined at least proximally, generally hairy, or both lemma and palea glabrous

9. Floret callus 1.7–6 mm, sharp-pointed; awn 35–225 mm;  herb or annual

10. Lemma awn densely long-hairy and feather-like proximally; perennial herb ..... S. speciosa (2)

10' Lemma awn proximally scabrous to densely hairy but neither long-hairy nor feather-like; perennial herb or annual

11. Annual 4–7 mm; callus 1.7–2.3 mm; awns proximally hairy, hairs generally visible without a hand lens ..... S. capensis

11' Perennial herb; florets 7–13 mm; callus 2–4 mm; awn proximally hairy but hairs generally not easily visible without a hand lens ..... S. comata

12. Distal awn segment 40–120 mm, wavy to curled in age; proximal stem  generally concealed by  sheaths in age generally partially enclosed in most distal  ..... var. comata

12' Distal awn segment 30–80 mm, straight; proximal stem nodes generally exposed; panicles in age generally fully  ..... var. intermedia

9' Floret callus 0.1–2 mm, blunt- to sharp-pointed, awn 3–80 mm; perennial herb

13. Florets <= 2.5 mm; lemma glabrous, occasionally sparsely hairy in Stipa divaricata

14. Leaf  0.5–2.5 mm wide, margins generally inrolled;  5–20 cm, proximal inflorescence nodes 1–3-branched ..... S. divaricata

14' Leaf blade 2–10 mm wide, flat; panicle 10–40 cm, proximal inflorescence nodes generally 3–7-branched ..... S. miliacea var. miliacea

13' Florets >= 2.8 mm; lemma hairy throughout or at least in proximal 3/4

15. Florets ± obovoid, length generally <= 3 × width; lemma densely long-hairy at least in youth, awn early-deciduous ..... S. hymenoides

15' Florets elongate-ellipsoid to , length >= 4 × width; lemma hairy to densely hairy (partly glabrous), awn persistent or not, or if length < 4 × width then awn persistent and floret not densely long-hairy

16. Awns persistent, proximally densely long-hairy, at least some hairs 0.5–8 mm

17. Distal leaves on stem with ligules 3–8 mm; lemma tip 1-lobed,  <= 0.1 mm, thick, leathery ..... S. thurberiana

17' Distal leaves on stem with ligules 0.3–3 mm; lemma tip generally 2-lobed or  occasionally 0, lobes <= 1 mm, thin, membranous

18. Lemma awn bent 1 ×, proximally densely long-hairy, feather-like, hairs 3–8 mm ..... S. speciosa (2)

18' Lemma awn bent 2 ×, proximally hairy, ± feather-like or not, hairs <= 2 mm

19. Awns proximally with hairs gradually, evenly decreasing in length distally, or hairs of equal length; hairs at lemma tip < or generally ± = longest proximal awn hairs

20. Floret 8–9 mm; lemma 1.2–1.7 × palea; glumes 1.3–1.9 mm wide from midvein to margin ..... S. latiglumis (2)

20' Floret 5.5–7.5 mm; lemma 1.7–2.5 × palea; glumes < 1 mm wide from midvein to margin ..... S. occidentalis (2)

21. Distal awn segment generally densely hairy; stem 0.3–1 mm diam,  glabrous; glumes generally ± purple ..... var. occidentalis (2)

21' Distal awn segment generally scabrous or glabrous, occasionally densely hairy at segment base; stem 0.5–2 mm diam, internodes glabrous to densely hairy; glumes generally green

22. Proximal 2 awn segments scabrous or densely hairy, hairs of mixed lengths; lemma tip hairs > proximal awn hairs ..... var. californica (2)

22' Proximal 2 awn segments densely hairy, hairs gradually and evenly shorter towards 1st bend; lemma tip hairs ± = proximal awn hairs ..... var. pubescens (2)

19' Awn proximally with mixed-length hairs, longer hairs mixed with shorter; hairs at lemma tip longer than most proximal awn hairs

23. Florets 8–9 mm; glumes 1.3–1.9 mm wide from midvein to margin ..... S. latiglumis (2)

23' Florets 5–7.5 mm; glumes 0.6–1 mm wide from midvein to margin

24. Callus 0.5–0.7 mm; lemma 1.3–2 × palea; palea tip hairs generally ± 1 mm ..... S. nevadensis

24' Callus 0.8–1.2 mm; lemma 1.7–2.5 × palea; palea tip hairs generally < 1 mm ..... S. occidentalis (2)

25. Distal awn segment generally densely hairy; stem 0.3–1 mm diam, internodes glabrous; glumes generally ± purple ..... var. occidentalis (2)

25' Distal awn segment generally scabrous or glabrous, occasionally densely hairy at segment base; stem 0.5–2 mm diam, internodes glabrous to densely hairy; glumes generally green

26. Proximal 2 awn segments scabrous or densely hairy, hairs of mixed lengths; lemma tip hairs > proximal awn hairs ..... var. californica (2)

26' Proximal 2 awn segments densely hairy, hairs gradually and evenly shorter towards 1st bend; lemma tip hairs ± = proximal awn hairs ..... var. pubescens (2)

16' Awns persistent or not, proximally scabrous or with hairs < 0.5 mm

27. Glumes  to narrowly ovate, 3–6 mm; lemma awn 3.9–14 mm

28. Leaf blade ± 0.3 mm wide, thread-like, wavy or curled; inflorescence branches  to main axis or not; glumes 3–4.5 mm; lemma awn 10–14 mm ..... S. kingii

28' Leaf blade 0.6–1.4 mm wide, straight, , generally folded; inflorescence branches ± appressed to main axis; glumes 3.5–6 mm; lemma awn 3.9–7 mm ..... S. exigua

27' Glumes narrowly  to lanceolate, >= 6 mm; lemma awn (4)10–80 mm

29. Lemma evenly hairy, hairs 1.2–6 mm, hairs at lemma middle generally ± = hairs at tip of lemma body

30. Awns early-deciduous ..... S. webberi

30' Awns persistent

31. Sheaths not flat and ribbonlike in age; blade margins generally inrolled, 0.2–0.4 mm thick, 0.5–1 mm wide when flat; awn bent 2 × ..... S. pinetorum

31' Sheaths flat and ribbonlike in age; blade 0.5–1.5 mm thick when margins inrolled, <= 7 mm wide when flat; awn bent 1–2 ×

32. Awn bent 2 ×; stem 3–6 mm diam ..... S. coronata (2)

32' Awn bent 1 ×; stem 0.8–2 mm diam ..... S. parishii var. parishii (2)

29' Lemma glabrous or hairs 0.2–1.5(2) mm at lemma middle, distally glabrous or hairy, hairs at lemma middle generally < hairs at tip of lemma body

33. Lemma tip hairs 2–7 mm, generally >= 1 mm > hairs at lemma middle

34. Awn bent 2 ×; stems 3–6 mm diam ..... S. coronata (2)

34' Awn bent 1 ×; stems 0.8–2 mm diam ..... S. parishii var. parishii (2)

33' Lemma tip hairs <= 2.2 mm or 0, generally < 1 mm > hairs at lemma middle

35. Distal awn segment ± wavy ..... S. arida

35' Distal awn segment straight or ± arched

36. Lemma tip 2-lobed, lobes 1–3 mm; palea >= lemma, tip 2-lobed, veins extending into lobes ..... S. stillmanii

36' Lemma tip not lobed or lobes <= 1.2 mm; palea <= lemma, tip unlobed, palea veins ending before or at palea tip

37. Lemma tip lobes thick, stiff, ± 0.1 mm; florets ±  ..... S. lemmonii

38. Proximal leaf sheaths, stem glabrous to hairy, not , hairs <= 0.2 mm ..... var. lemmonii

38' Proximal leaf sheaths, stem tomentose, hairs 0.4–0.6 mm ..... var. pubescens

37' Lemma tip lobes membranous, 0.1–1.2 mm; florets not compressed

39. Proximal internodes densely hairy 3–9 mm below nodes, elsewhere less densely hairy and hairs shorter ..... S. diegoensis

39' Proximal internodes glabrous or ± hairy <= 5 mm below nodes, elsewhere generally glabrous

40. Lemma (1.1)1.2–1.3 × palea; palea tip hairs extending beyond tip; lemma awn 12–25 mm; leaf blades 0.5–2 mm wide ..... S. lettermanii

40' Lemma 1.5–3 × palea; palea tip hairs generally not extending beyond tip; lemma awn 19–31 mm; leaf blades (0.5)1.2–5 mm wide ..... S. nelsonii var. dorei

 

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Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) . Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ [accessed on ]

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