Stipa bavarica
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Stipa bavarica | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Stipa bavarica on a rocky outcrop in the Finkenstein nature reserve | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Subfamily: | Pooideae |
| Genus: | Stipa |
| Species: | S. bavarica |
| Binomial name | |
| Stipa bavarica Martinovský & H.Scholz | |
 | |
| Native range of Stipa bavarica | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Stipa bavarica, commonly known as Bavarian feather grass is a perennial grass species in the family Poaceae, native to southern Germany. The species is restricted to a small area on the Finkenstein Nature Reserve near Neuburg an der Donau in Bavaria.
Stipa bavarica was first described as a distinct species by Martinovský and H. Scholz in 1968.[2][3]
In 1992, Conert reclassified it as a subspecies of Stipa pulcherrima.[4][5] Modern authorities such as Plants of the World Online and GrassBase accept Stipa bavarica as a valid species, though some regional floras continue to treat it as a subspecies.
Recent genetic studies have found no significant genetic differentiation between populations of the closely related Stipa pucherrima and Stipa bavarica populations. Further the taxonomic separation of Stipa bavarica as a distinct species may not be warranted.[6]
Description
Stipa bavarica is a perennial grass that grows in small, tufted clumps and is similar to Stia pulcherrima, but smaller with its stems reach between 30 and 70 cm in height.[7] Leaf sheaths and leaf base as well as underside of the blades densely hairy, leaf otherwise rough. Each leaf has a small, thin membrane (ligule) at the junction with the stem, usually 2–4 mm long, and shorter on the basal shoots.[8]
The leaves are long and thread‑like, folded lengthwise, measuring 35–70 cm in length but only about 1–1.3 mm wide. Their surfaces are ribbed, rough to the touch, and hairy on both sides. The leaf tips are pointed.[8]
Stipa bavarica produces a narrow flowering head (panicle) with only a few spikelets, usually 6–9 in total. The stalk that supports the panicle can be smooth or slightly hairy near the top. The panicle itself is slender and compact, with a hairy central axis. Each spikelet occurs singly and is borne on a small stalk.[8]