Festuca japonica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes short. Culms 30–70 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 7–15 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; effuse; 2–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading, or reflexed; 1–2 -nate; 4.5–9 cm long. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches capillary; smooth, or scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 4–5.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.4–0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.5–4 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; muticous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels smooth, or scaberulous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2.5–2.7 mm long; hairy at apex. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia.

NOTES Poeae. Koyama 1994.

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