The Stipeae are a tribe of grasses within the subfamily Pooidae, with up to 600 described species.Barkworth ME, Arriaga MO, Smith JF, Jacobs SWL, Valdes-Reyna J, Bushman BS (2008) Molecules and Morphology in South American Stipeae (Poaceae). Systematic Botany 33(4), 719-731.
Description The defining morphological features of the Stipeae include single-flowered spikelets lacking a rachilla extension, and the lemmas (the external bract) have either a sharp point or a terminal awn (long bristle).Cialdella AM, Giussani LM, Aagesen L, Zuloaga FO, Morrone O (2007) A phylogeny of Piptochaetium (Poaceae : Pooideae : Stipeae) and related genera based on a combined analysis including trnL-F, rp116, and morphology. Systematic Botany 32(3), 545-559.
Genera The tribe includes 32 genera: Peterson PM, Romaschenko K, Soreng RJ, Valdés Reyna J (2019) A key to the North American genera of Stipeae (Poaceae, Pooideae) with descriptions and taxonomic names for species of Eriocoma, Neotrinia, Oloptum, and five new genera: Barkworthia, × Eriosella, Pseudoeriocoma, Ptilagrostiella, and Thorneochloa. PhytoKeys 126: 89-125. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.126.34096
Many species initially placed into Stipa have now been split off into new genera. Some recent papers have analysed relationships within and between the genera, pdfJacobs SWL, Bayer R, Everett J, Arriaga MO, Barkworth ME, Sabin-Badereau A, Torres MA, Vazquez FM, Bagnall N (2007) Systematics of the tribe Stipeae (Gramineae) using molecular data. Aliso 23, 349-361.Jacobs SWL, Everett J, Barkworth ME, Hsiao C (2000) Relationships within the Stipoid grasses (Gramineae). In 'Grass Systematics and Evolution.' (Eds SWL Jacobs and J Everett) pp. 75-82. (CSIRO: Melbourne) but a complete analysis has not yet been performed. Stipoid grasses use the C3 photosynthetic pathway and live in temperate areas worldwide. pdf
Known fossils date from the late Miocene. pdf
References
External links Stipa L. sensu lato (sensu lato refers to the tribe) The grass genera of the world website by L. Watson, T.D. Macfarlane, and M.J. Dallwitz