Festuca breviaristata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 25–50 cm long; 1 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades involute; 12–30 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough abaxially; pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 8–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 9–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–5.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough above. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–6.2 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough above. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6–7.2 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 0.5–1 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea surface pubescent; hairy above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Tovar 1995.

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