GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Festuca parvipaleata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 40–70 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths ribbed; puberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.7 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 30–42 cm long; 0.7–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 2–4 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially, or on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle scaberulous above.

Panicle lanceolate; 8–12 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–3 -nate. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 8–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 3–4.2 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 6–7.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 6–7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough on veins. Lemma margins scaberulous. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2–3 mm long overall. Palea 5.8–6.1 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea surface asperulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2–2.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous, or with a few apical hairs.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Poeae. Alp Fl N Guin 1999.

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