Nassella pittieri

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms geniculately ascending; 60–100 cm long; 4 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–1 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 15–25 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hispid; sparsely hairy; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; loose; 15–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending. Panicle axis scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1 mm long; pilose; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; pallid; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7 mm long; membranous; pallid; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 6 mm long; coriaceous; pallid; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; with conspicuous apical hairs. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 20 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn scabrous. Palea 0 -veined; 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.