Festuca ventanicola

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 18–40 cm long; 2 -noded. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; with 0.33 of their length closed; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 3–10 cm long; 0.7–0.8 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5 vascular bundles; with subepidermal sclerenchyma free from veins; with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or elliptic; 12–16 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1 -nate. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 12–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.5–2 mm long; scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; 5–5.5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–9 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 9–10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–1.5 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3–4.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; glabrous. Hilum linear; 0.75 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Turpe 1995.

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