Festuca swallenii

HABIT Perennial. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 150 cm long. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.2–0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades 40 cm long; 5–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with sclerenchyma strands below veins and above all veins. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough abaxially; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; nodding; 25 cm long; 20 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 2 -nate; 12 cm long. Panicle axis scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 9.5–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5.5–6.2 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 0.5–1.3 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.4–2.7 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Meso-Am 1995.

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