Festuca longiglumis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 40–65 cm long; 1–1.5 mm diam.; 3–4 -noded. Culm-internodes striate; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades 16–27 cm long; 3–3.5 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade venation comprising 11–12 vascular bundles; with sclerenchyma strands below veins and above all veins; with subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins above and below. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 10–22 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 3–10 cm long. Panicle branches glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 12–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume linear; 6–6.5 mm long; 0.7–0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 8.5–9 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 9–10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 6–7 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.8–2 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 3 mm long. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Poeae. Lu 2000.

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