Festuca bhutanica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 15–25 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; with 0.2–0.25 of their length closed; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; angular in section; 0.45–0.6 cm long. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5 vascular bundles; with sclerenchyma strands below veins; with 5–7 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; with subepidermal sclerenchyma free from veins; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or oblong; 4.5–9 cm long. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 7.5–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.7–5.2 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1.2–2.5 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous; adorned all along. Palea apex emarginate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2.3–2.8 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Poeae. Alexeev 2001.

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