Festuca caprina

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms 30–90 cm long; 1–2(–3) -noded. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 4–25 cm long; 0.5–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 5–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6(–9) 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.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; 3–5.5 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–6.5 mm long; 0.7–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets divergent. Fertile lemma elliptic; 5–7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma apex emarginate, or acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–3 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2.5–3 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Poeae. FTEA.

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