Festuca cochabambana

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Rhizomes elongated. Culms 90–120 cm long. Culm-nodes swollen. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2–0.7 mm long. Leaf-blades 20–30 cm long; 4–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 20–25 cm long. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 9–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.8–2.2 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.7–3.2 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5.5–6.2 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous; rough in the middle. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 6–12 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1–1.2 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Gr Bolivia 1997.

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