Festuca cajamarcae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 25–40 cm long; 0 -noded. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades involute; 8–15 cm long; 2–5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade apex acute, or acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 5–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 10–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; with lower narrower than upper; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5–5.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough above. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5.5–6.8 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough above. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7.5–9 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Gr Peru 1997.

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