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 philippii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–1 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 15–20 cm long; 1.8–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

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

Panicle open; equilateral; 8–25 cm long; bearing few spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 5–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 0.5–0.8 mm long; pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–8 mm long; 1.5–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 3–4 mm long; coriaceous; dark brown; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. 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 0.3–0.5 mm long (plus ciliolae); awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; constricted at base (of corona); 23–35 mm long overall; with 15–18 mm long limb; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 3.5–6 mm long; glabrous. Palea 0.6–1 mm long; 0 -veined; without keels.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2–2.4 mm long; light brown. Hilum linear; 0.66 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Torres 1994.

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