Nassella karstenii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms erect; 5–60 cm long; 3 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3 mm long. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10–15 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; loose; 8–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; 4–8 cm long. Panicle axis terete; glabrous. Panicle branches angular; glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–2 mm long; scabrous; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 9 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 9 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 4.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; with conspicuous apical hairs. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs 1 mm long. Lemma apex with a short cylindrical neck; with this appendage 0.3 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 3 mm long; ciliate. Palea without keels.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Hitchcock 2002.

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