Festuca werdermannii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 25–40 cm long; 1–2 -noded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or puberulous. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1–2 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; angular in section; 3–7 cm long; 0.9–1.1 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 3–5 vascular bundles; with subepidermal sclerenchyma free from veins. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 5–10 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–1.5 mm long; smooth.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.3–3 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–4 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4–6 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute; muticous. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels smooth. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.7 mm long. Anthers 3; 2.3 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 4.5 mm long; hairy at apex. Hilum linear; 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Matthei 1995.

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