Festuca soratana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths papery; glossy. Culms 70–170 cm long. Leaves basal and cauline. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.4 mm long. Leaf-blades convolute; 20–40 cm long; 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially, or on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 15–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending, or spreading; 2–10 cm long. Panicle axis pubescent. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 8–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–4.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5.5–6 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above. Lemma apex acute, or acuminate; muticous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long. Ovary with a few apical hairs.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Gr Bolivia 1997.

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