New! - Search other data sources for Nassella nutans

Help - Wrong Description?

Kew Data Sources

Kew's Herbarium Catalogue
ePIC - Electronic Plant Information Centre

External Data Sources

Note - this takes you off of our website
Use your browser's back button to return to this page

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 nutans

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 50–70 cm long; 3 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10–40 cm long; 1.5–2.5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; puberulous; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; nodding; 15–25 cm long; 4–8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate; 5–10 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; scabrous.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 1.5 mm long; pilose; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 12 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate; hairy below. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex surmounted by a ring of hairs; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate; 65 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 40 mm long; ciliate; hairy on the spiral. Palea 0.8 mm long; 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 5 mm long; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Hack 1995.

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