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 curviseta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous, or sparsely hairy. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–60 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 10–20 cm long; 1 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough abaxially; pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; nodding; 15–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes; 5–10 cm long. Panicle axis with lower internodes 5–10 cm long; puberulous. Panicle branches flexuous; puberulous.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 3.5 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 15 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 15 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear; subterete; 8 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface puberulous, or pubescent. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex surmounted by a ring of hairs; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn bigeniculate; 50–70 mm long overall; with 30–50 mm long limb; with twisted column; deciduous; limb ciliate; glabrescent towards tip. Middle segment of lemma awn ciliate. Column of lemma awn 10 mm long; hirtellous; with 2 mm long hairs. Palea 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Stipeae. Hitchcock 1997.

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