Nassella burkartii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 35–175 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–3 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades convolute; 9–27 cm long; 2.5–4.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal, or terminal and axillary.

Panicle open; equilateral; 10–26 cm long; bearing many spikelets, or few spikelets. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels pubescent; hairy at tip.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 12–21.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 2.5–4.5 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 12–21.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; yellow, or purple; without keels; 3–5 -veined (close to midvein). Lower glume apex acuminate; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 12–21.5 mm long; 1.5–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; yellow, or purple; without keels; 3–5 -veined (close to midvein). Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; gibbous; 8–12 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma surface asperulous; pubescent; hairy below, or at base; hairy on veins. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex with a membranous corona and surmounted by a ring of hairs (on membrane); with this appendage 0.4–0.9 mm long (plus ciliolae); awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; constricted at base (of corona); 65–120 mm long overall; with 37–50 mm long limb; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 30–53 mm long; pubescent. Palea 1.2–3 mm long; 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 3–3.5 mm long; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 4–5 mm long; yellow. Hilum linear; 0.66 length of caryopsis.

CLEISTOGENES AND VIVIPARY Cleistogenes present; in upper sheaths.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Torres 1994.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Upper glume veins reaching 2/3 its length.

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