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Descriptions

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

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

Festuca africana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; knotty. Culms 60–200 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–8 mm long. Leaf-blades 20–40 cm long; 6–14 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade venation with obscure cross veins.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 25–50 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising (1–)2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension and with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 7–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate, or oblong; 2–5.5 mm long; 0.7–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 3–6 mm long; 0.5–0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–9 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3(–5) -veined. Lemma lateral veins with distinct primaries but obscure intermediates. Lemma apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; flexuous; 12–20 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scaberulous. Rhachilla extension 0.5 length of fertile floret. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex. Embryo 0.15–0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Poeae. FTEA.

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