Festuca ambilobensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms erect; 70–80 cm long. Culm-internodes striate; smooth; distally glabrous. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 20–22 cm long; 8 mm wide; light green. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open. Primary panicle branches spreading; 5–6 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 1–3 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 14–17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.5–2 mm long; pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.4–4 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–8 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate; muticous.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 8–10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface asperulous; rough above. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 6–8 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Poeae. Camus 2007.

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