Festuca cryptantha

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 5–35 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades curved to flexuous; filiform; conduplicate; 2.5–15 cm long; 0.4–0.6 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5 vascular bundles; with 5 inner ridges; with 7 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 2–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6.3–8.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.2–1.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume ovate; 6.5–8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 6.5–8.5 mm long; 1.5–1.6 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3(–5) -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 4–5.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.5–1 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Rhachilla extension 2 mm long. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; linear; 0.5 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1.7–2 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; glabrous. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Arabia.

NOTES Poeae. Cope 1993.

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