藏臭草 zang chou cao

Perennial, tufted. Culms erect or inclined at base, 15–60 cm tall, ca. 2 mm in diam., 3–6-noded, scabrid below panicle. Leaf sheaths keeled, harshly scabrid on veins; leaf blades flat or folded, 10–20 cm × 3–6 mm, abaxial surface scabrid, adaxial surface puberulous; ligule 0.8–1.5 mm, truncate, backside (blade side) pubescent. Panicle broadly linear in outline, 6–18 cm, dense, spikelets many; branches erect, appressed to main axis. Spikelets broadly ovate, 5–8 mm, purplish, fertile florets (1–)2(–3), terminal sterile lemmas gathered into globular cluster; glumes as long as spikelet, papery, slightly unequal, lower glume broadly elliptic, (4–)5–7 mm, 1–3-veined, upper glume broadly oblanceolate, 5–8 mm, 3–5-veined, both acute or obtuse; lemmas oblong, lowest 3.5–6 mm, lower part herbaceous, pallid, 5–7-veined, minutely hispidulous or granular-scabrid, upper 1/3 slightly enlarged, membranous, purple, apex shallowly 2-lobed, erose; palea as long as herbaceous part of lemma, keels ciliolate. Anthers 0.6–1 mm. Fl. and fr. Jul–Sep.

* Alpine meadows, usually under shrubs; 3500–4300 m. Nei Mongol (Alxa Youqi), Qinghai, Sichuan, Xizang.