蒙古针茅 meng gu zhen mao

Perennial, densely tufted. Culms 15–40 cm tall, 1–2-noded, pubescent below nodes. Basal leaves 1/2 length of culms; leaf sheaths glabrous or hairy on margin, shorter than internodes; leaf blades acicular, convolute, outer surface smooth or almost so; ligule 0.3–0.5 mm, densely hairy. Panicle open, lax, 8–20 cm, shortly exserted from uppermost leaf sheath. Spikelets pale greenish; glumes subequal or lower slightly longer, narrowly lanceolate, 1.4–1.9 cm, membranous, apex acuminate-filiform; callus pungent, 1.5–2 mm; lemma 6–7.5 mm, uniformly densely pilose; awn deciduous, 4.5–6.4 cm, plumose throughout, 1-geniculate, column 0.4–0.7 cm, hairs ca. 2 mm, bristle 4–6 cm, hairs 2–3.5 mm. Fl. and fr. Jun–Aug.

Rocky or stony slopes, dry steppes; ca. 1500 m. Nei Mongol, Ningxia (Helan Shan) [Mongolia].

The awn has a shorter column in proportion to the bristle than in Stipa caucasica.