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 torquata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms slender; 20–45 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2 mm long; scarious. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate, or convolute; 2.5–20 cm long; 0.4–0.6 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; nodding; 6–12 cm long; bearing few spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 14–23 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; curved; 2–3 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 14–23 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; purple; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 14–23 mm long; 2–2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; purple; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 8–9 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent; hairy below. Lemma surface papillose; glabrous. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex with a membranous corona and surmounted by a ring of hairs (on membrane); with this appendage 0.8–1 mm long (plus ciliolae); awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; constricted at base (of corona); 40–90 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn pubescent. Palea 1.5–2 mm long; 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Torres 1994.

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