Nassella sellowiana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms geniculately ascending; 80–150 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 30–60 cm long; 4–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate; 10–30 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 7–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 2 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; purple; without keels. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–12 mm long; membranous; purple; without keels. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 10–11 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface villous; hairy all along. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate; 40–50 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 30–40 mm long. Palea 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Fl Cat 1995.

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