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 poeppigiana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 50–100 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.4–0.8 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 3–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy abaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; equilateral, or nodding; 15–30 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 10–17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 2–2.5 mm long; pubescent; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 10–17 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; purple; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–17 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; purple; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; (5.8–)6–8.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface papillose; pubescent; hairy below; hairy on veins. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex with a membranous corona; with this appendage 0.5–0.7 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; simple at base; 50–90 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn pubescent. Palea 1.5–2 mm long; 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2.5–3.5 mm long; purple; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 4–6 mm long; dark brown. Hilum linear; 0.66 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Torres 1994.

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