Festuca chiriquensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 80–130 cm long; 2–3 mm diam. Culm-nodes constricted; brown; glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.7–2 mm long. Leaf-blades 15–50 cm long; 4–7 mm wide; dark green. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle 7–15 cm long.

Panicle open; elliptic; nodding; 15–30 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate; 8–15 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 15–17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume subulate; 5.5–6.7 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–9.5 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 9–11 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 14 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea apex awned; awns 1 mm long. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3–3.9 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Costa Rica 1994.

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