Festuca stapfii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous, or sparsely hairy, or pubescent. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–70 cm long; 2 -noded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.3–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 3–10 cm long; 0.8–1 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade venation with 7–9 secondary veins; sclerenchyma strands below veins.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 6–23 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate; 3–6 cm long. Panicle axis scaberulous. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4(–7) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 6–8.5(–9.5) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–1.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–2.5(–3.8) mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–4.5(–6.5) mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; with membranous margins; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5–6.5 mm long; chartaceous; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn (3–)5–8 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1–1.8 mm long. Ovary glabrous, or with a few apical hairs.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Poeae. Fl China 2007.

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