Festuca multinodis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 15–40 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 6–12 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 3–7 cm long. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 6–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.66–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4–6 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous, or mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0–2 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Poeae. Cheeseman 1995.

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