Festuca incurvatifolia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms geniculately ascending; 12–25 cm long. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.2–0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades curved; filiform; circular in section; 2.5–7 cm long; 0.2 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5 vascular bundles; with 3 inner ridges; with sclerenchyma strands below veins; with 7 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; with subepidermal sclerenchyma free from veins; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; loose; (3–)5–8 cm long; bearing few spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 4 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4.6–5.2 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2.2–2.6 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.2–2.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north.

NOTES Poeae. Chatelain et al 2011.

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