Festuca marcopetrii

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 30–45 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 14–15 cm long; 0.6–0.85 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5–7 vascular bundles; with 5–7 inner ridges. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle glabrous.

Panicle open; elliptic; equilateral; 8 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2.5–4 cm long; bearing 4–6 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1(–2) fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 8–8.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 6.5–7 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 7.2–7.8 mm long; 0.95–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 7.25–8 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 6.5–7.5 mm long overall; 0.87–0.93 length of lemma. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2–2.5 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Poeae. Veldkamp 1997.

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