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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.
Austrofestuca
HABIT Perennial. Culms erect (2/2); 25–69.16–120 cm long. Leaf-sheath auricles absent, or falcate (1). Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform (1), or linear (2); coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade apex muticous (2), or pungent (1).
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open (2), or contracted (1).
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels cuneate (1/1).
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3 fertile florets (1), or 4–5 fertile florets, or 6 fertile florets (1); with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 9–13–18 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; pilose (1), or villous (2). Floret callus pubescent (1), or pilose (2).
GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; 0.9–0.9 length of upper glume; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous; without pits. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate (2), or ovate (1); 0.75–0.9583–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 3–4 -veined (1), or 5 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic (2), or ovate (1); coriaceous; of similar consistency above (2), or much thinner above (1); keeled; wingless; 5 -veined (2), or 6 -veined (1), or 7 -veined (2), or 8–11 -veined (1). Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness (2), or scabrous (1); eciliate (2), or ciliolate (1). Lemma surface asperulous (1), or scaberulous (1), or scabrous (1); unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma apex entire (1), or erose (1), or dentate; 2 -fid; truncate (1/2), or acute (1/2); mucronate (1), or awned (2); 1 -awned (2/2). Principal lemma awn subapical (1), or from a sinus (2). Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels smooth (1), or scabrous (2); eciliate (2), or ciliolate (1). Palea apex dentate (2/2). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous; glabrous (2), or ciliate (1); 2-toothed (1/1). Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum elliptic.
DISTRIBUTION Australasia.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
