Festuca fimbriata

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose; clumped loosely. Cataphylls inconspicuous. Rhizomes short; fleshy; not obviously scaly. Basal innovations extravaginal, or intravaginal. Culms robust; straight; 100–200 cm long; 3–4 mm diam.; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete. Culm-nodes without exudate; glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves basal and cauline; 3–5 per branch. Leaf-sheaths tight; unthickened at base; open for most of their length; without keel; striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; membranous; white, or brown; entire; truncate. Leaf-blade base symmetrical. Leaf-blades flexuous; flat; linear in section; 30–50 cm long; 5–10 mm wide; firm, or flaccid; mid-green, or dark green. Leaf-blade midrib evident. Leaf-blade venation distinct; with subepidermal sclerenchyma strands similar in size; with subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins above and below; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; with 1 peduncles per sheath. Peduncle straight, or flexuous; terete; eglandular; glabrous.

Panicle open; ovate; continuous; loose, or effuse; equilateral, or secund; straight; 20–40 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; profusely divided. Panicle branches straight, or flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–7(–9) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 11–15(–20) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Spikelet callus glabrous. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; (3.5–)4–6(–7) mm long; 0.75–1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; light green, or light brown; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5.5–7.5 mm long; 0.75–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; dark green, or light brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; symmetrical; 6–8 mm long; chartaceous; mid-green; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; muticous. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; ciliate. Anthers 3. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Stancik 2005.

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