Festuca junatovii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 20–40 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.5–1 of their length closed; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; angular in section; 5–15 cm long; 0.4–0.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5 vascular bundles; with 3 inner ridges; with 7 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface smooth.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 5–8 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Panicle axis smooth. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.66–0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins obscure. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4.3–4.7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex muticous, or mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0–0.5 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous; with 0.33 of their length adorned. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.8–2.2 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Poeae. Alexeev 1997.

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