Festuca nigriflora

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 15–45 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades involute, or convolute; 4–12 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; coriaceous. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; densely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 6–12 cm long; 0.7–1.2 cm wide. Panicle branches smooth, or scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels smooth.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–2.7 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy at apex. Lower glume apex truncate, or obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 3.3–3.5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy at apex. Upper glume apex truncate, or obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 5 mm long; coriaceous; purple, or black; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy above. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface puberulous; hairy on back.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2.3–2.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Tovar 1995.

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