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.

Festuca cuzcoensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 80–110 cm long; 6–12 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; pubescent. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long; lacerate; acuminate. Leaf-blades 12–15 cm long; 3–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; grooved abaxially; scabrous; rough abaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 20–25 cm long; 5–10 cm wide. Primary panicle branches drooping. Panicle axis scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.2–1.4 mm long; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; (2–)2.5–4.5 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; purple; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4–6 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins obscure. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7–8.5 mm long; membranous, or chartaceous; purple; without keel; 3–5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3–4(–5) mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; oblong; membranous; 2-toothed. Anthers 3; 1.5–2 mm long. Ovary with a few apical hairs.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; lanceolate; hairy at apex. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Poeae. Stan. & Peterson 2003.

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