Festuca vulpioides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50–100 cm long. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; with flat margins. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat; 10–25 cm long; 3–7 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 15–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; bearing 1–5 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 15–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–8 mm long; 0.5–0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–9 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 8–10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous, or mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0–4 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Poeae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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