Festuca monticola

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 20–80 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades curved; filiform; conduplicate; 4–20 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface papillose and scabrous (above/below); glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 6–15 cm long. Panicle axis scaberulous. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 11–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–2.5 mm long; scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5–6.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough above. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume obovate; 5.5–8 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough above. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough generally, or above; glabrous, or puberulous. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–2.5 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 3–4 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Pat 1995.

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