Festuca longivaginata

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 60–65 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; puberulous. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 20–40 cm long; 3–5 mm wide; 8–10 cm long at summit of culm. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 20–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; 6–12 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; with lower narrower than upper; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–4.2 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 acuminate, or setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–5.5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins prominent. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough above. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6.5–7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface puberulous; hairy above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 3.5 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.