Festuca potaninii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 7–20 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.5 of their length closed. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; elliptic in section; 4–10 cm long; 0.55–0.85 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 7 secondary veins; 3–5 inner ridges; 3 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or lanceolate; 3–5 cm long. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 5.5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3.8–4.2 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1.2–2.2 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1.7–2.2 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Poeae. Tsvel & Alex 1995.

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