Festuca algeriensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–60 cm long; 2 -noded; with 0.1–0.15 of their length below uppermost node. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.5–0.66 of their length closed; with infolded margins; smooth; glabrous on surface, or puberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades straight, or curved; conduplicate; elliptic in section; 8–30 cm long; 0.6–1.1 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 7 secondary veins; with sclerenchyma strands widened to form a discontinuous subepidermal layer, or with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute, or acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate; 4–12 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–2 -nate. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels tip widened.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or elliptic; laterally compressed; 10–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–1.5 mm long; scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; 3.5–4 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; with scarious margins; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2–3 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea surface scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3.5–4 mm long; yellow. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Afr N 1994.

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