Stipa roylei (Nees) Duthie.

Loosely tufted, shortly rhizomatous. Culms 40–60 cm tall, 3–5-noded. Leaf sheaths glabrous, mostly longer than internodes; leaf blades flat (inrolled when dry), 15–30 cm, 2–3 mm wide, abaxial surface smooth, scabrid toward apex, adaxial surface pubescent; ligule oblong-lanceolate, up to 5 mm. Panicle linear, 10–20 cm; branches single or lower paired, up to 7 cm, smooth. Spikelets green or tinged purplish; lower glume 5–8 mm, upper glume 7–11 mm, smooth; callus 0.5–0.7 mm; lemma 9–10 mm, loosely pubescent in lower 1/4–1/2; awn 1.3–1.7 cm, stiffly hispid at base, hairs 0.5–0.8 mm, scabrid above. Anthers 2–3 mm. Fl. and fr. Aug–Oct.

The long, retrorse spines at the lemma apex are an unmistakable distinguishing feature of this species.

Open grassy mountainsides, forest clearings; 2700 m and above.

Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, N India, Kashmir, N Myanmar, Nepal].