Stephanachne pappophorea (Hack.) Keng

Perennial, tufted. Culms erect, 30–50 cm tall, 1–2 mm in diam., scabrid, 2–3-noded. Leaf sheaths tight; leaf blades involute, 10–25 cm, 1–3 mm wide, both surfaces scabrid, apex acuminate; ligule 2–3 mm, toothed. Panicle linear-oblong in outline, spikelike, not interrupted, 4–6 cm, slightly shining; branches smooth; pedicels 1–5 mm, shortly hairy. Spikelets 7–9 mm, green tipped purple; rachilla extension unknown; glumes lanceolate, 3–5-veined, midvein scaberulous, apex acuminate; lemma 6–7 mm (including lobes), body pilose, apical lobes extended into 1.5–3 mm awnlets, circlet of hairs 2.5–3 mm; awn 7.5–9 mm, weakly geniculate below middle, column slightly twisted; palea 3–4 mm. Lodicules 2, 0.55–1.3 mm. Stamen 1, anther 0.7–1 mm. Fl. Aug.

Perennial, forming dense tussocks from a short rhizome, base invested in old leaf sheaths. Culms erect, 10–40 cm tall, 1–1.3 mm in diam., smooth, 2–5-noded. Leaf sheaths tight, auriculate, auricles 2–5 mm; leaf blades flat or involute, 5–25 cm, 1–5 mm wide, both surfaces scabrid, apex finely acuminate; ligule 1.5–3 mm, lacerate. Panicle linear-oblong in outline, spikelike, not interrupted, 4–18 cm, slightly shining; branches almost smooth; pedicels 0.5–2.5 mm, puberulent. Spikelets 5–7 mm, yellowish green; glumes narrowly lanceolate, 1–3-veined, midvein scabrid, apex slenderly acuminate; lemma 3–4 mm (including lobes), body appressed-pilose, apical lobes extended into ca. 0.5 mm mucros, circlet of hairs 3–4 mm; awn 6–8 mm, weakly geniculate near middle, column slightly twisted; palea slightly shorter than lemma. Lodicules 2 or 3, ca. 1 mm. Stamens 3, anthers 1–1.2 mm. Fl. and fr. Jul–Sep.

SW Xizang (Burang, Gê'gyai).

Gansu, Nei Mongol, Qinghai, Xinjiang [Mongolia, Tajikistan].

* Under shrubs on mountain slopes; 4400–4700 m.

Dry stony mountain slopes, steppes, dried floodlands, roadsides; 1800–3200 m.

Stephanachne pappophorea (Hackel) Keng var. monandra P. C. Kuo & S. L. Lu, Rep. Invest. Zool. Bot. Ngari Region Tibet [Xizang Ali Diqu Dong Zhi Wu Kao Cha Bao Gao], 106, 127. 1979.

Calamagrostis pappophorea Hackel, Annuaire Conserv. Jard. Bot. GenΦve 7–8: 325. 1904; Pappagrostis pappophorea (Hackel) Roshevitz.