Festuca handelii

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose; clumped loosely. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 60–85 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2.5–3.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 3–4(–6) mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with sclerenchyma strands below veins and above all veins.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 15–30 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 9–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–1.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4–4.5 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6.4–8 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.8–3.2 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Poeae. Fl China 2007.

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