TYPE. Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 37: 514. 1906. Type: Peru. Ancachs: in declivibus montium Cordillera blanca supra Caraz in faucibus umbrosis fruticibus altis obtectis, 3300-3600 m, mense Juin 1903, WEBERBAUER 3230 (holotype: B; isotypes: BAA, US).

DESCRIPTION. Large perennial tussocks, 150-200 cm tall; innovations intravaginal. Culms erect, scabrous, with 3-4 nodes in distal half. Sheaths coriaceous, scabrid; auricles absent; ligule membranous, acute, 8-12 mm long; leaf blades plane (or partly involute), 40-100 cm long, 0.5-1.4 cm wide, green, scabrate, with prickles on abaxial and adaxial epidermis. Panicle ovate 20-40 cm long and 20-25 cm wide; branches scabrous. Spikelet 11-14 mm long, oblong, with 3-5 florets; rachilla hairy; glumes lanceolate, acute; greenish-white, glabrous or papillose, lower glume 5-7.5 mm long, 1-nerved, upper glume 6.5-9 mm long, 3-nerved; lemmas lanceolate, 8.5-10 mm long, 5-nerved, coriaceous-membranous, scabrous, apex entire; awn absent; callus glabrous; palea as long as lemma, two-carinate, glabrous or papillose, two-dentate; lodicules ovate, obtuse; stamens 3, anthers 3.5-4.2(-4.7) mm long, ovary apex glabrous. Caryopsis oblong; hilum linear, nearly as long as total.

LEAF SECTION. Leaf section with many vascular bundles and ribs above; bulliform cells present; sclerenchyma under both abaxial and adaxial epidermis discontinuous, without hairs.

DISTRIBUTION & HABITAT. Andean forest margins and clears, rocky slopes and páramo, at an altitude of 3000-4000 m. Specis is known from northern and central Peru.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. PERU. Ancachs. Prov. Bolognesi, Jerusalem, cerro al E de Aquia, arcilloso - pedregoso en monte pluvifolio, 3200-3250 m, 18-V-1950, FERREYRA 7526 (US). Casca, abajo de Chiquian, 3100-3200 m, 9-V-1950, FERREYRA 7281 (US). Prov. Yungay, Huascaran NP, between Lake Llanganuco and Portachuelo, 77°36´W, 09°03´S, 4200-4329 m, 16-VIII-1984, SMITH 8233 (US). Prov. Huaraz, Huascaran NP, Quebrada Shallap, 77°24´W, 09°30´S, 3700-4000 m, 22-V-1985, SMITH et al. 10769 (F). Prov. Huaylas, Huascaran NP, environs of Auquispuquio, 77°57´W, 08°49´S, 3900-4000 m, 4-IX-1986, SMITH et al. 12110 (F). Prov. Yungay, Huascaran NP, Llanganuco sector, María Josefa trail between Chinancocha and Pucayacu, 77°39´W, 09°05´S, 3700-3850 m, 5-VII-1985, SMITH 10537 (F). Prov. Carhuaz, Huascaran NP, Quebrada Ulta, on road to Ulta Pass, 77°32´W, 09°07´S, 4000-4400 m, 29-VII-1985, SMITH 11389 (F). Cajamarca. Prov. Contumaza, Guzmango, cerro Campanillas, 3050 m, 1-VI-1959, SAGASTEGUI 2991 (US). SAIS Jose Carlos Maríategui, km 20-40 on Sunchubamba - San Juan road, jalca with small patches of ceja de selva in rocky area, 3300-3500 m, 5-VI-1984, SMITH 7534 (US). Distr. San Juan, carretera San Juan - Cajamarca, arriba de San Juan, ladera arcillosa-pedregosa, 2350 m, 6-XII-1993, VEGA 730 (F). Cumbe Mayo, 21 km al W de Cajamarca, ladera con arbustos disersos, 3100 m, 4-XI-1977, VEGA 1966 (F). Huancavelica . Conaica, Ccarhuay - pampa arriba de Conaica, 3700-3750 m, 18-III-1951, TOVAR 143 (US). Junin. Prov. Huancayo, Hda. Acopalca, 4000 m, 20-VII-1945, INFANTES 435 (US). La Libertad. Prov. de Otuzca, cerca a Usquil, falda de cerro, junto con Chusquea, Loasa, Cajophora, 3000-3100 m, 9-VI-1950, FERREYRA 7642 (K, US); FERREYRA 7664 (K, US). Otuzco, entre piedras, 2600 m, 6-IV-1990, LEIVA & LEIVA 96 (F). Otuzco, cerro de los Enamorados (al norte de Salpo), ladera, 3440 m, 16-VI-1993, LEIVA 797 (MO). Otuzco, near Usquil, hillside, 3200 m, 9-VI-1950, ANDERSON 1271 (US).