Festuca obturbans

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 30–60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades erect; filiform; conduplicate; 8–30 cm long; 0.75 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade venation without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 8–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume subulate; 2.5–4.5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–6 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 5–7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous. Lemma apex emarginate, or acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–3 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; glabrous. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical.

NOTES Poeae. FTEA.

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