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 longicoronata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 40–80 cm long; 4–5 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 10–15 cm long; 1.5–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 12–17.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 2–3 mm long; pilose; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 12–17.5 mm long; 1.1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein ciliate. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 11–16 mm long; membranous; without keels. Upper glume primary vein ciliate. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; subterete; 7.5–10.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex with a membranous corona; with this appendage 1.5–3 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 65–75 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn pubescent. Palea 1.5 mm long; 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 3–4 mm long; anther tip penicillate. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 4 mm long. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Rosengurtt 1995.

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