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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 benthamiana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–60 cm long; 2 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 10–20 cm long; 0.5–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; lanceolate, or oblong; 15–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate. Panicle axis angular; scaberulous. Panicle branches angular; scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 5–15 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 2–2.5 mm long; scaberulous; glabrous, or sparsely hairy.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5–5 mm long; 0.7–0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume oblong; 6–7 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 9–11 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma margins eciliate, or ciliolate. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 5–15 mm long overall. Palea 9–11 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Palea surface scaberulous; pubescent; hairy on back; hairy above. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; linear; 4 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.