Festuca agustinii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–60 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 10–30 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; dense; 8–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending. Panicle axis pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 4–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; 3–4 mm long; 0.75–1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume linear; 4 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels smooth, or scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; glabrous. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: Macaronesia.

NOTES Poeae. WDC 1997.

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