Festuca densiflora

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50–70 cm long; 2 -noded. Leaf-sheaths 15–30 cm long; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1 mm long; erose. Leaf-blades involute; 15–30 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially; pubescent. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 15–18 cm long; 1.5–2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; 5–9 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels smooth.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–3.5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–4 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5.5–5.8 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea surface puberulous; hairy below. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.5–2.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Tovar 1995.

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