Festuca richardii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; 20–45 cm long. Leaf-sheaths loose to inflated; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades aciculate; conduplicate; 10–20 cm long; 0.5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7 vascular bundles; with 7 inner ridges; with sclerenchyma strands below veins; with 8 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; with subepidermal sclerenchyma free from veins; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface smooth.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 7–15 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches appressed; simple.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 13–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 7–9 mm long; chartaceous; purple; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2–4(–8) mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1.5–2.8 mm long. Ovary glabrous, or with a few apical hairs.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; glabrous, or hairy at apex. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical and east tropical.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Eth 1997.

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