Festuca pubigluma

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 40 cm long; 0 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; antrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate, or involute; 30–45 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 25–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; 6–12 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels smooth; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–6.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins prominent. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6–7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea surface pubescent; hairy above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3.5–3.8 mm long.

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.