Festuca parodiana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 100–150 cm long. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–2 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades flat; 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; nodding; 30 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle branches flexuous; smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–1.5 mm long; scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; 2 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume linear; 3 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma apex attenuate; muticous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. StYves 2004.

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