Festuca simlensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes absent, or short. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 25–110 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; angular in section; 20–40 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade venation with 7–9 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; subepidermal sclerenchyma free from veins.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or ovate; 6–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 14–17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5–5.5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–8 mm long; 0.75–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 6–8 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 5–7 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2.5–3 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Pak 1993.

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