Festuca glabrata

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 50–70 cm long; 1 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 12–35 cm long; 2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; puberulous; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 33 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; 7–15 cm long. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels smooth.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 9–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.3–3.6 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough above. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough above. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6.5–7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea surface puberulous; hairy above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2.2–2.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

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.