Festuca ulochaeta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Cataphylls inconspicuous. Rhizomes short; fleshy; not obviously scaly. Basal innovations extravaginal, or intravaginal. Culms robust, or of moderate stature; straight, or curved; 90–100 cm long; 2–3 -noded; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete. Culm-nodes without exudate; glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves basal and cauline; 3–5 per branch. Leaf-sheaths tight; unthickened at base; open for most of their length; without keel; striately veined; antrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1 mm long; membranous; translucent, or white; entire; truncate. Leaf-blade base symmetrical. Leaf-blades straight, or flexuous; flat; linear in section; 5–10 mm wide; firm, or flaccid; mid-green, or dark green. Leaf-blade midrib evident. Leaf-blade venation distinct; with subepidermal sclerenchyma strands similar in size; with subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins above and below; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; with 1 peduncles per sheath. Peduncle straight, or flexuous; terete; eglandular; glabrous.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or elliptic; continuous; loose; secund; straight; 5–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 1–2 -nate; moderately divided; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches straight, or arcuate.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Spikelet callus glabrous. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–3.5(–4) mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of upper glume; hyaline, or membranous, or chartaceous; pallid, or mid-green; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume elliptic, or oblong; 5–5.5 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; pallid, or dark green; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; symmetrical; 7.5–8 mm long; chartaceous; pallid, or dark green; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn flexuous; filiform; 15–20 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex. Hilum linear; 0.66 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Stancik 2005.

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