Festuca copei

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths papery. Culms 70–120 cm long. Leaves basal and cauline. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 20–40 cm long; 0.5–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; loose; 12–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; 2–10 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous; scabrous; glabrous.

Spikelets ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 6–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 3–5.5 mm long; 0.75–1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume linear, or lanceolate; 4–5.5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5.5–6.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above; pilose. Lemma apex acute, or acuminate; muticous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Gr Bolivia 1997.

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