Festucaof South America |
HABIT Caespitose; clumped moderately. Cataphylls inconspicuous. Rhizomes short; fleshy; not obviously scaly. Basal innovations extravaginal, or intravaginal. Culms of moderate stature; straight; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete. Culm-nodes without exudate; glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves basal and cauline; 3–5 per branch. Leaf-sheaths tight; unthickened at base; open for most of their length; without keel; striately veined. Ligule an eciliate membrane; membranous; white; erose; truncate. Leaf-blade base symmetrical. Leaf-blades straight, or flexuous; linear in section; firm, or flaccid; light green, or mid-green. Leaf-blade midrib evident. Leaf-blade venation distinct; with subepidermal sclerenchyma strands similar in size; with subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins above and below; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; with 1 peduncles per sheath. Peduncle straight, or flexuous; terete; eglandular; glabrous.
Panicle contracted; lanceolate; continuous; loose; straight; 15–20 cm long; 3–5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending; moderately divided; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches straight, or arcuate.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 9–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Spikelet callus glabrous. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous. Floret callus glabrous.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.7–3 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; mid-green; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.7–4 mm long; 0.6 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous, or chartaceous; mid-green; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; symmetrical; 6–6.5 mm long; chartaceous, or herbaceous; mid-green.
DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America. Map here
ILUSTRATIONS Here
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Version: 15th October 2005.
