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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Festuca rifana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons present. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–70 cm long; 2 -noded; with 0.2–0.25 of their length below uppermost node. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; with infolded margins; smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2–1 mm long; truncate, or obtuse. Leaf-blades straight, or curved; filiform; angular in section; 7–8 cm long; 0.3–0.5 mm wide; firm. Leaf-blade venation with 4–5 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 3.5–12 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–2 -nate. Panicle axis smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous; tip rectangular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1 mm long; smooth.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.25–3 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.25–4 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.5–5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; rounded except near apex; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2.5–3 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea surface scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.75–3 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Afr N 1994.

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