Festuca leptopogon

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 60–120 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades flat; 4–30 cm long; 1–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; equilateral, or nodding; 15–20 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

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

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.4–0.6 length of upper glume; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 2.5 mm long; 0.33 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 7–8 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; pubescent; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 7 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; lanceolate, or ellipsoid; 5 mm long; hairy at apex. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, and Malesia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Assam 1993.

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