Festuca nereidaensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Cataphylls inconspicuous. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms of moderate stature; straight; 80–100 cm long; 2–3 -noded; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete. Culm-nodes without exudate; glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal; 0–2 per branch. Leaf-sheaths tight; unthickened at base; open for most of their length; without keel; striately veined; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.7–1 mm long; membranous; white; entire; truncate. Leaf-blade base symmetrical. Leaf-blades straight; involute; elliptic in section; 25–35 cm long; 1.2–1.5 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff; dark green. Leaf-blade midrib indistinct. Leaf-blade venation indistinct, or distinct; with subepidermal sclerenchyma strands similar in size; with subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins below; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; moderately hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; with 1 peduncles per sheath. Peduncle terete; eglandular; scaberulous above; glabrous.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate, or elliptic; continuous; dense; straight; 15–20 cm long; 1–1.5 cm wide. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 11–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Spikelet callus glabrous. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous; pubescent. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 6–6.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; dark green, or dark brown; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–8 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; dark green; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; symmetrical; 7–7.5 mm long; chartaceous; dark green; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface papillose. Lemma apex setaceously attenuate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn stiff; 0.5–0.7 mm long overall. Palea 2 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea surface scaberulous. Palea apex ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; lanceolate; 1.3 mm long. Anthers 3; 1.3–1.6 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Stancik 2005.

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