Tall Bushman Grass, Large Bushman Grass Stipagrostis ciliata capensis Langbeenboesmangras
Order: Poales. Family: Poaceae

© ExFmem
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Description of the genus
Annuals or perennials, with a knotty rhizomatous base. Inflorescence a narrow, often spike-like, terminal panicle. Spikelets 1-flowered, disarticulating above the glumes; floret bisexual equalling or shorter than the glumes. Glumes persistent, (1-)3(-11)-nerved, equal or unequal, acuminate to obtuse. Lemma cylindric, 3-nerved, becoming indurate at maturity, articulation present; basal callus densely barbate or glabrous; awns 3; at least the central awn plumose, or, if glabrous, then with a penicil of hairs at the base of the column.
Description
It can be easily recognized by its magnificent feather-like inflorescence with a ring of dense hair around its nodes. It is both an annual and perennial plant, depending on the amount of moisture it receives.
Perennial up to 85 cm high, densely or laxly caespitose. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, simple, mostly branched at the base, glabrous, 2-3-noded; nodes barbate (with long spreading hairs). Leaf-sheaths crowded at the base, striate, whitish, glabrous or more or less woolly along the margins, sometimes densely villose, the upper ones tight. Ligule a short-ciliate rim; auricles short-ciliate, those of innovations long-barbate; collar glabrous. Leaf-laminae variable in length, convolute, nearly setaceous to pungent, more or less recurved, scabrous or minutely pubescent or hirtellous above, glabrous and smooth or sparsely pilose beneath. Panicle up to 30 cm long, usually narrowly contracted but often open and sometimes lax, with a nearly glabrous axis, and with erect, appressed, solitary or usually 2-nate branches. Spikelets linear-oblong, pallid or straw-coloured, often with purple spot at the base. Glumes nearly equal, 3-nerved, usually glabrous, obtuse or subacute, subcoriaceous; the inferior 8.5-11 mm long, the superior 9-12 mm long. Lemma shorter than the glumes, cylindric, smooth, articulated near the middle; callus 1.5-2.5 mm long, very acute, long-hairy; column 10-13 mm long, straight or slightly twisted, filiform; central awn up to 4.5 cm long, plumose, more or less naked in the lower 1/4, with a short naked exserted apex; the lateral awns 1.5-2 cm long, very fine, mostly erect, scaberulous.
Distribution
Botswana, South Africa, Namibia. (Western Karoo, Kalahari, Namib)
Habitat
Deep sandy soils and dunes. Well drained soils in sandveld, it is most common on gravel and sandy plains.