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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Festuca cirrosa
HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 30–50 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a ciliolate membrane; 1.5–5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 20–40 cm long; 0.8–1.2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; shorter than basal leaves.
Panicle contracted; linear; 10–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle axis smooth. Panicle branches smooth.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels smooth, or scaberulous.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 12–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–2 mm long; pubescent.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 7.5–9 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume surface puberulous; hairy generally, or above. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–11.5 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous; hairy generally, or above. Upper glume apex acuminate.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 8–10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface puberulous. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–4 mm long overall. Palea 0.75 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea surface puberulous; hairy above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 3.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.
DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.
NOTES Poeae. Fl Pat 1995.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.