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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 asperula

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50–100 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 15–30 cm long; 1 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; callose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; lanceolate; 10–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate. Panicle axis angular; smooth. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels angular; 2–10 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.5–2 mm long; scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–5.5 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume oblong; 6–7 mm long; 0.8–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–8.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–4 mm long overall. Palea lanceolate; 6–8 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above. Palea surface scaberulous. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; linear; 4.5–5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; sulcate on hilar side.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Poeae. Vickery.

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