Festuca papuana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths grey; glabrous; persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 30–60 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades erect; conduplicate; 5–25 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib keeled beneath. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; papillose; rough adaxially; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 6–12 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1 -nate; simple; 2–5 cm long. Panicle axis smooth, or with occasional prickles.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 8–10 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; 3.8–4.2 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 4.8–5.5 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 5–6 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough on veins. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3.2–3.5 mm long overall. Palea 4–4.3 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; hairy at apex. Hilum linear; 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia.

NOTES Poeae. Alp Fl N Guin 1994.

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