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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 sudanensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths withering. Culms 45–90 cm long; 2–2.5 mm diam.; 3–4 -noded; with 0.5 of their length below uppermost node. Culm-internodes smooth. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; with 0.33–0.5 of their length closed; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2–0.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; angular in section; 25–50 cm long; 0.6–0.7 mm wide; coriaceous. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7 vascular bundles; with 5 inner ridges; with 7 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; with subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins above and below; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 16–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 4–7 cm long. Panicle axis scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 8–9.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 6–7.5 mm long; membranous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–9.2 mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 7–8.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2–2.5 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous; with 0.33 of their length adorned. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2.5–3 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical.

NOTES Poeae. Alexeev 2001.

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