Festuca steinbachii

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Rhizomes elongated. Culms 150–180 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.7 mm long. Leaf-blades flat; 20–30 cm long; 10–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 15–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches 3–7 cm long. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches flexuous; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 11.5–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–5.5 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 acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–8 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 9–10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough generally. Lemma apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; acuminate to setaceously attenuate; muticous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels 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.