GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Nassella cabrerae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 35–60 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; striately veined; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–0.5 mm long; erose; truncate. Collar glabrous. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 5–17 cm long; 2–3.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; equilateral, or nodding; 8–20 cm long. Panicle axis glabrous. Panicle branches glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 6–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 1–1.3 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 6–7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–7 mm long; membranous; purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; subterete; 3–3.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface papillose; pubescent. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex with a membranous corona and surmounted by a ring of hairs; with this appendage 0.9–1.5 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; constricted at base (of corona); 18–29 mm long overall; with 9–15 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous. Column of lemma awn 5.5–8 mm long; puberulous. Palea 1.3 mm long; 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2 mm long; truncate. Hilum linear; 0.75 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Torres 1997.

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