Festuca poluninii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 40–80 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; flat; angular in section; 0.4–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7 vascular bundles; with 5 inner ridges; with 9 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or oblong; 20–26 cm long. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 10.5–12.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6.8–7.2 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above; glabrous, or puberulous. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1.5–2.5 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous; adorned all along. Palea apex emarginate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1.8–2.3 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Poeae. Alexeev 2001.

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