Festuca hedbergii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths withering. Culms 15–60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades erect; filiform; conduplicate; circular in section; 3–25 cm long; 1 mm wide; coriaceous. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5 vascular bundles; with 3 inner ridges; with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 8–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 9–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; membranous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; (7–)7.5–9 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–1.7 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical.

NOTES Poeae. Alexeev 2001.

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