Festuca eriobasis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–40 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; elliptic in section; 5–10 cm long; 0.5–0.8 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade venation comprising 9 vascular bundles; with 5–7 inner ridges; with 5 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 7–12 cm long. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 10–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 6–10 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 8–11 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 8–11 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 1.2–2.5 mm long overall. Palea 5–8 mm long; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned below; with 0.66 of their length adorned. Palea surface scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5–1.7 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 5 mm long. Hilum linear; 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Poeae. Scholz 2005.

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