Festuca ladyginii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Rhizomes short. Culms 50–100 cm long. Culm-internodes scaberulous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 4–7 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 2.5–6 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 15–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5.5–8 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–9 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 8–10 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex acute; muticous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Poeae. Pl Cent Asia 1996.

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