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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Nassella clarazii
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50–90 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface to pubescent; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 1–2 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long; truncate, or obtuse. Leaf-blades curved, or flexuous; flat, or convolute; 7–20 cm long; 1–3.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.
Panicle open; equilateral; 10–25 cm long; bearing few spikelets.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 25–37 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 3–6 mm long; pubescent; pungent.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; with lower wider than upper; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 25–37 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; purple; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 25–37 mm long; 2–2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; purple; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.
FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 9–14 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface papillose; pilose; 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 0.8–1.2 mm long (plus 1–2mm hairs); awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; constricted at base (of corona); 150–170 mm long overall; with 55–110 mm long limb; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 17–40 mm long; hirsute. Palea 2–3 mm long; hyaline; 0 -veined; without keels.
FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 3.5–7.5 mm long; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; 6–7 mm long; dark brown. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.
CLEISTOGENES AND VIVIPARY Cleistogenes present; in lower sheaths.
DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.
NOTES Stipeae. Torres 1994.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.