Festuca akhanii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms erect; 25–40 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.66–0.75 of their length closed. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 0.6–0.8 mm wide; stiff; grey-green. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5 vascular bundles; with 3 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough abaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; dense; 3–5 cm long. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 7–9 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 linear, or lanceolate; chartaceous; with scarious margins; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear, or lanceolate; 4–5.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2–2.5 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2–2.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. Tsvelev 2001.

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