Nassella punensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 13–55 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface to pubescent. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; pubescent on abaxial surface; truncate. Collar glabrous. Leaf-blades erect; straight, or curved; filiform; convolute; 3–7 cm long; 0.5–0.9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; linear, or pyramidal; 5–10 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 3.5–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus brief, or evident; 0.3–0.5 mm long; pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5–5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein eciliate, or ciliolate. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–5 mm long; membranous; purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein eciliate, or ciliolate. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; subterete; 2.5–3.5 mm long; coriaceous; dark brown; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth; pilose. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs 0.5 mm long. Lemma apex with a membranous corona and surmounted by a ring of hairs; with this appendage 1–2 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 5–9 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column; deciduous. Middle segment of lemma awn puberulous. Column of lemma awn puberulous. Palea 1–1.7 mm long; 0.4–0.5 length of lemma; 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 1, or 3; purple. Staminodes absent, or present. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2–2.7 mm long. Hilum linear; 0.66 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Torres 1997.

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