Festuca tunicata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 50–100 cm long; 2–4 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; circular in section; 20–50 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins above. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough abaxially; pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 30–100 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; dense; equilateral; 7–25 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.6–1.2 mm long; smooth.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5–6.9 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6.2–7.8 mm long; 0.75–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–9 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 1 mm long. Anthers 3; 3.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1 mm long. Hilum linear; 0.75 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Matthei 1995.

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