Festuca chelungkingnica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; robust; 15–30 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 7–15 cm long; 0.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5 vascular bundles; with 3 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 4 cm long; 0.5–0.8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate; 0.5–1 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Poeae. Lu 1996.

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