Festuca peruviana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; 5–12 cm long; 2 -noded. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades curved; conduplicate; 5 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse, or abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 2–4 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels smooth.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6.5–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth, or scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5–6 mm long; 0.85 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4.8–6.2 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins prominent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5.5–6 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough in lines; glabrous, or puberulous. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1 mm long overall. Palea 1 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 0.6–0.7 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.