Nassella rupestris

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; slender; 30–40 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 8–15 cm long; 0.3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; puberulous; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 10–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus brief; 0.5 mm long; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5 mm long; membranous; purple; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 3 mm long; coriaceous; pallid; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy all along. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 20 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous. Middle segment of lemma awn 4 mm long; pubescent. Column of lemma awn 5 mm long; pubescent. Palea 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform. Hilum linear.

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

NOTES Stipeae. Hitchcock 1995.

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