Festuca coahuilana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths withering (or few fibres). Basal innovations extravaginal, or intravaginal. Culms erect; 50–60 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–0.7 mm long; bilobed. Leaf-blades flexuous; flat, or convolute; 10–25 cm long; 1.5–2.2 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation prominent. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 8–13 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–2 -nate. Panicle axis scaberulous. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7.8–9.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.8–4 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough at apex. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4.1–6.1 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough at apex. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5–6.2 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute; scabrous; muticous. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; with a small lateral lobe, or irregularly toothed. Anthers 3; 2.5–2.7 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3.5 mm long. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Poeae. Gonz.-Ledesma 2004.

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