Festuca tectoria

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 80–100 cm long; 2 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 10–25 cm long; 1.5–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 20–24 vascular bundles; with subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins above and below; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 15–20 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–1.5 mm long; scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–3.2 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–4.6 mm long; 0.6–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 6–6.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex setaceously attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 1 mm long. Anthers 3; 1–3 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Matthei 1996.

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