Festuca humbertiana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 60–90 cm long; 5–6 -noded. Culm-internodes terete; 10–20 cm long; striate; smooth; distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; puberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades flat; 10–20 cm long; 1.8 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with obscure cross veins. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or ovate; loose; 15–22 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2–3 -nate; 2–7 cm long. Panicle axis scaberulous. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 5–8 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 12–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 2.5–3 mm long; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7 mm long; 0.75–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7–9 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface glabrous, or puberulous; hairy above. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 6 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2.8 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Poeae. Camus 2001.

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