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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Festuca muelleri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 80–150 cm long; 2–4 -noded. Culm-internodes antrorsely scabrous. Culm-nodes brown; glabrous. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; antrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles absent, or falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–4 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blades convolute; 20–45 cm long; 5–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scabrous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 15–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading, or drooping; 2 -nate; sparsely divided; 4–9 cm long. Panicle axis scaberulous. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 4–10 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 12–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.5 mm long; scaberulous. Floret callus glabrous, or pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 7–8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 7–8 mm long; 0.8–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; with membranous margins; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7–10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute; muticous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Palea surface scaberulous. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; linear; 3.5–5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblanceolate; sulcate on hilar side; 5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Poeae. Vickery.

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