Festuca serana

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 9–27 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 2.5–9 cm long; 0.25–0.4 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 4–5 vascular bundles; with 3 inner ridges; with 7 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; with subepidermal sclerenchyma free from veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle glabrous.

Panicle open; elliptic; equilateral; 2.5–6.5 cm long. Primary panicle branches 0.75–2 cm long; bearing 1–2 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle axis scaberulous. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 6.75–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes smooth.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 6.75–9 mm long; 0.66–1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 4.5–6.2 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 5.6–8.1 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or asperulous; rough above. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn straight, or flexuous; 3–6 mm long overall; 0.4–1 length of lemma. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1.8–2.5 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Poeae. Veldkamp 1997.

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