Stipa pennata Linnaeus, Species Plantarum 1: 78. 1753.

"Habitat in Austria, Gallia." RCN: 655.

Lectotype (Freitag in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 42: 437. 1985): Herb. A. van Royen No. 900.320-437 (L) .

Generitype of Stipa Linnaeus (vide Hitchcock, Prop. Brit. Bot.: 121. 1929).

Current name: Stipa pennata L. ( Poaceae).

Note: Although Mansfeld (in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 47: 268. 1939) interpreted the name via a cited Clusius plate, he did not appear to make a formal choice of type. Recognising that a number of taxa were included within Linnaeus’ species concept, many authors (e.g. Scholz in Willdenowia 4: 304. 1968; Fuchs-Eckert in Feddes Repert. 90: 535-538. 1980; Kerguélen in Lejeunia n.s., 110: 48. 1983) rejected the name as a nomen ambiguum. Martinovský & Skalický (in Preslia 41: 330. 1969) had in the meantime designated Jussieu material, unseen by Linnaeus and not original material for the name, as lectotype. Meikle (Fl. Cyprus 2: 1793. 23 Apr 1985) indicated Löfling 54a (94.1 LINN) as type, a collection already dismissed as conflicting with the protologue by earlier authors. This is fortunate as it is apparently identifiable as S. pulcherrima C. Koch. Later in the same year, Freitag (in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 42: 437-438. 1985) provided a further review, designated a van Royen collection as lectotype, and restored the name to use. He has subsequently been followed by authors such as Moraldo (in Webbia 20: 244. 1986) and Kerguélen & al. (in Lejeunia n.s., 120: 171. 1987).