Stipeae

The Stipeae are a tribe of grasses within the subfamily Pooidae, with up to 600 described species.

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).

Genera
The tribe includes 28 genera: • Achnatherum (syn. Aristella)

• Aciachne

• Amelichloa

• Anatherostipa (syn. Nicoraella)

• Anemanthele

• Austrostipa

• Celtica

• Eriocoma

• Hesperostipa

• Jarava

• Lorenzochloa

• Macrochloa

• Nassella

• Oloptum

• Ortachne

• Orthoraphium

• Oryzopsis

• Pappostipa

• Patis

• Piptatheropsis

• Piptatherum

• Piptochaetium

• Psammochloa

• Ptilagrostis

• Stipa

• Stipellula (syn. Stipella)

• Timouria

• Trikerala

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,  but a complete analysis has not yet been performed. Stipoid grasses use the C3 photosynthetic pathway and live in temperate areas worldwide.

Known fossils date from the late Miocene.