Festuca longipes

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 30–75 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; with flat margins. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 2–6 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; corymbose; 15–35 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches ascending; 2 -nate; 5–25 cm long; bearing 1–6 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches stiff; flat.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 8–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Poeae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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