Festuca caldasii

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose; clumped loosely. Cataphylls inconspicuous, or evident. Rhizomes absent, or short; fleshy; not obviously scaly. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; of moderate stature; straight; 80–100 cm long; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete. Culm-nodes without exudate; glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves basal and cauline; 3–5 per branch. Leaf-sheaths tight; unthickened at base; open for most of their length; without keel; striately veined; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long; membranous; white; erose. Leaf-blade base symmetrical. Leaf-blades straight, or flexuous; linear in section; 30–40 cm long; 3–6 mm wide; flaccid; mid-green. Leaf-blade midrib evident. Leaf-blade venation distinct; with subepidermal sclerenchyma strands similar in size; with subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins above and below; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; with 1 peduncles per sheath. Peduncle terete; eglandular; glabrous.

Panicle open; ovate, or pyramidal; continuous; loose, or effuse; straight; 15–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; 2 -nate; moderately divided; naked below. Panicle branches straight, or arcuate.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–7(–8) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 15–17 mm long; 5–7 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Spikelet callus glabrous. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; 3.5–4.5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; chartaceous; pallid, or light green; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–7 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; pallid, or light green; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; symmetrical; 7–9 mm long; chartaceous; pallid, or light green, or purple; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex attenuate, or setaceously attenuate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn stiff; 1–3 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Stancik 2005.

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