Festuca perrieri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 60 cm long; 3 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades erect; filiform; conduplicate; 8–15 cm long; 1 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 15–18 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 2 -nate.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets rhomboid; laterally compressed; 10–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–4.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough above. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5.75–6 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough above. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5.8–6.4 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Poeae. Camus 1994.

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