歧颖剪股颖 qi ying jian gu ying

Agrostis inaequiglumis Grisebach var. nana Y. C. Yang.

Perennial; rootstock present, tough. Culms erect from an ascending base, up to 30 cm tall, 0.5–0.8 mm in diam., 2–3-noded. Leaf sheaths glabrous, lower scarious; leaf blades filiform, rolled, basal blades 8–10 cm × 0.4–0.8 mm, culm blades 2–4 cm, abaxial (outer) surface scabrid toward apex, otherwise smooth, adaxial (inner) surface closely ribbed, scabrid on ribs; ligule 0.7–1 mm, ca. 2 mm on culm leaves. Panicle linear, dense, spikelike, 5–8 cm; branches short, erect, bearing spikelets from base; pedicels scabrid. Spikelets ca. 2.5 mm, green tinged pale purple; glumes narrowly oblong-lanceolate, slightly unequal with lower longer, keel scabrid, apex acuminate; callus subglabrous; lemma 2/3 spikelet length, smooth, usually awnless, apex acute; palea to 0.25 mm. Anthers ca. 1 mm. Fl. Aug.

Alpine grassy slopes; 3000–4000 m. SE Xizang, NW Yunnan [N Myanmar].

Agrostis mackliniae usually has awnless lemmas, but rarely a few lemmas have a short, straight awn from above the middle. Agrostis in-aequiglumis Grisebach is a similar, small species, occurring in Bhutan, India (Sikkim), and Nepal. It also has a narrow, spikelike panicle and awnless spikelets, but is distinguished by its delicate, annual habit.