Festuca sikkimensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; robust; 15–30 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; with 0.33 of their length closed; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; elliptic in section; 7–15 cm long; 0.5–0.6 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5 vascular bundles; with 3 inner ridges; with 3 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; dense; 3–6 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 7–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.4–4.6 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Palea apex entire. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1.2–1.45 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Poeae. Alexeev 1996.

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