Festuca breviligulata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 60–80 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; lacerate; truncate. Leaf-blades 25–35 cm long; 8–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with obscure cross veins. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 30–32 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; 5–8 cm long. Panicle branches glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 18–24 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–4.2 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5.5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7–8 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 10–15 mm long overall. Palea 9 mm long. Rhachilla extension 3 mm long; glabrous. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; lanceolate; 3 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 7–8 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 5 mm long. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Poeae. Camus 2001.

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