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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Festuca donax
HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 60–120 cm long. Leaf-sheaths without keel; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–5 mm long. Leaf-blades 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; elliptic; nodding; 18–30 cm long.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 5.5–6.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5–5.3 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–6.2 mm long; 1.1–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.
FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 4.4–5.2 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute; muticous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 3 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; glabrous. Hilum linear.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: Macaronesia.
NOTES Poeae. Hackel 1997.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.