Festuca boliviana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 60–100 cm long. Culm-internodes mid-green. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.7–1.3 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 10–30 cm long; 0.8–1.2 mm wide; coriaceous; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 16–22 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle branches glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or lanceolate; laterally compressed; 8–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.7–4 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5.5–6 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 3 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Gr Bolivia 1997.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.