Nassella nardoides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 8–10 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2–1 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 2–4 cm long; 0.5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 2–3 cm long; bearing few spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 10–20 mm long; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 7–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.8 mm long; pubescent; hairy in a ring above; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 7–11 mm long; 1.1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–10 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 4 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; with conspicuous apical hairs. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma hairs 2–3 mm long. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 8–14 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 3.5 mm long; puberulous. Palea 1.3 mm long; 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.5 mm long. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 3.4 mm long. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Matthei 1995.

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