Festuca casapaltensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 6–15 cm long; 2 -noded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades straight, or curved; conduplicate; 2–6 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse, or abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; dense; 3–7 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending. Panicle branches flexuous; scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes glabrous, or sparsely hairy.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 7.5–9 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 8.5–10 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 7–9 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough in lines. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3–6 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 0.6–0.8 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Tovar 1995.

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