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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 contracta

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 15–40 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves distichous. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 5–25 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 6–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle axis scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–11.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–1.5 mm long; scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–7.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough generally, or above. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–7.5 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough generally, or above. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 5–6 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex emarginate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–3 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea surface puberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1–1.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3 mm long; dark brown. Hilum linear; 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America. Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Pat 1995.

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