Poaceae

S. pulcherrima C. Koch in Linnaea 21:440 (2848). Syn: S. grafiana Steven in Bull. Soc. Nat. Mosc. 30:116 (1857);S. pennata sensu Boiss., Fl. Or. 5:502 (1884) non L. (1753). Ic: Smirnov in B. Fedtsch., Fl. Jugo-Vostoka SSR 2: t. 1 f. 4, 9 & 10, 19; t. 2 f. 27 & 28, 38 (1928);Grossh., Fl. Kavk. 1: t. 11 f, 2, 2a &b (1929). Figure 25.
Compactly caespitose perennial. Stems to 100 cm, glabrous or hairy towards apex. Leaf sheaths longer than internodes, glabrous, ciliate on margins when young. Ligule to 10(-25) mm. Leaf blades 2-5 mm broad, involute, smooth or scabridulous beneath, rough above. Panicle elongate, narrow, contracted, 6-9 cm. Glumes subequal, long-acuminate, 6-9 cm. Lemma 15-25 mm, densely pubescent in lower part, with 7 rows of hairs above, marginal ones reaching apex. Awn 25-50 cm, bi-geniculate. Column smooth or weakly scabrid; bristle plumose, hairs 5-7 mm
1. Sheath of stem leaves 3-4 mm diam.; lemma 20-25 mm; plants robust subsp. crassiculmis
1. Sheath of stem leaves narrower; lemma 15-20 mm; plants less robust subsp. epilosa
subsp. epilosa (Martinovsk?) Tzvelev in Novit. Syst. Pl. Vasc. (Leningrad) 11:18 (1974). Syn: S. epilosa Martinovsk? in Preslia 39:273 (1967)! S. turcica Martinovsk?, loc. cit. (1967). Fl. 5-6. Rocky slopes, 400-2500 m.
Type: [Turkey A5/6 Amasya] in montis Ak-dagh, regione alpina, 1600-1900 m, 9 vii 1889, Bornmüller 317 (holo. B!).
N. Turkey, S.W. & Inner Anatolia; scattered, A2(A) Istanbul: Aydos, A. Baytop (ISTE 3936)! A4 Çankiri: Ilgaz Da., 1600-2000 m, Pilát 2179 (type of S. turcica)! A5 Çorum: before Osmancik, 600 m, Tobey 2663! A5/6 Amasya: Abadschidagh (Abaci Da.), 1300-1500 m, Bornm. 1889:316. A8 Çoruh: 10 km above Sarıgöl, 1600 m, Sorger & Buchner 82-84-52! A9 Kars: nr Çildir (Grossheim 1: map 137). B3 Konya: Akşehir, Sultan Da., 1500-2000 m, Tanker (ISTE 5552)! B4 Ankara: nr Ankara, Çubuk baraj, Walther 710! B6 Sivas: Tokat to Sivas, Çamlibel Da., 1500-1700 m, M. & D. Zohary 3146! B7 Erzincan: 48 km from Erzincan to Sivas, Tanker (ISTE 5620)! B9 Van: 2 km S.W. of Çaldıran, 2230 m, Sorger & Buchner 82-45-16! B10 Ağri: Kars
road N.of mt. Ararat (Büyük Ağri Da.), 1920 m, D.M. Brown 569! C2 Muğla: SandrasDa., 1968, Quézelet al.! C4 Konya: Karaman to Sertavul, Çetik 3705! C5 Niğde: Ala Da., Narpiz gorge, 2400 m, Wood & Gibson 205!
Greece, Caucasia, N. Iran, Khorassan. Subsp. pulcherrima occurs in C. Europe, Mediterranean area, C. & S. Russia, Caucasia, N. Iran, C. Asia, W. Siberia; it has not yet been collected in Turkey but, as mentioned above, intermediates between it and subsp. crassiculmis have been observed.