Festuca presliana

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 40–100 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes brown. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; erose. Leaf-blades 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; nodding; 25 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate. Panicle branches flexuous; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.5 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; glabrous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; setaceously attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 4 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea surface scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Presl 2004.

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