Festuca sumatrana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 20–30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 6–10 cm long; 3–3.5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7–9 vascular bundles; with unevenly thickened subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 6–8 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1–2 -nate; 3–4 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous; glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 4–6 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–7 mm long; 1.2–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 5–6 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3–6 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 0.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; glabrous. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia.

NOTES Poeae. Jansen 1993.

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