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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Cleistogenes festucacea

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 25–40 cm long; 1 mm diam. Culm-internodes similar in length. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths tight; longer than adjacent culm internode; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades erect; convolute; 1–6 cm long; 1–2.2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; erect; unilateral; 1–4 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 4–7 cm long. Spikelet packing lax.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 6.5–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.2–1.5 mm long; pubescent; hairy at tip. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–3 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–4.5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; 1.8 mm wide; membranous; mid-green and purple; keeled; 3–5 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma hairs 1 mm long. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 1.5–2.5 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; awns 0.4 mm long. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 2–2.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

CLEISTOGENES AND VIVIPARY Cleistogenes present; in upper sheaths.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and Mongolia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Conert.

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