Festuca parvipaniculata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 15–30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 5–10(–15) cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 3–5 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; 1–3 cm long. Panicle branches straight.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface scaberulous; puberulous. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2–3 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Hitchcock 1995.

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