Festuca lucida

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 60–100 cm long; 2 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 5 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades flat; 15–30 cm long; 12–18 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 15–18 cm long. Primary panicle branches 5–10 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 8–12 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4–6 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 7–8 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute; mucronate. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Brit India 1994.

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