Festuca stebeckii

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Culms 60–70 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 40–50 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially; pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; loose; 25 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 8–17 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous; glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 7–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–6.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex acute; muticous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea surface scabrous. 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. Gr Bolivia 1997.

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