Festuca abyssinica A.Rich.

Morphology General Habit

Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths withering. Culms decumbent; 15-60 cm long; 2-5 -noded. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5-1 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform, or aciculate; involute; 3-25 cm long; 1-3 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation, or with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside (var supina).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle contracted; linear; 8-20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle branches scabrous. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 2-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or ovate; laterally compressed; 6.5-12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Spikelet callus pubescent.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 2-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or ovate; laterally compressed; 6.5-12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Spikelet callus pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5.5-8.5 mm long; 0.8-0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 1-3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 6-10 mm long; 0.9-1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 3(-5) -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Fertile florets appressed to rhachilla. Fertile lemma elliptic; 6.5-9.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or mucronate, or awned; 0-1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1-3(-5) mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Anthers 3; 2-2.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous, or pubescent on apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; glabrous, or hairy at apex. Hilum linear.

Distribution

Africa: west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical.

Reference

Poeae. FTEA.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Morphology General Habit

Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; 15-30 cm long; 2-3 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth. Leaf-sheaths 5-15 cm long; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades linear; convolute; 5-10 cm long; 2-4 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7 vascular bundles; with 7 inner ridges; with sclerenchyma strands below veins and above all veins; with subepidermal sclerenchyma strands similar in size; with subepidermal sclerenchyma free from veins; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; grooved adaxially; smooth, or scaberulous; rough adaxially; glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a panicle; without bracts, or bracteate at pedicel base. Panicle open; lanceolate; dense; 5-16 cm long; 1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1-3 cm long; bearing 5-8 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches scaberulous. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.7-0.9 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8-11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8-11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 7.6-8.5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; much thinner above; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins distinct. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume oblong; 7.5-8.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; much thinner above; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7.5-8.5 mm long; 2 mm wide; chartaceous; much thinner above; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface scabrous; rough on veins. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea lanceolate; 5-6 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Lodicules 2. Anthers 3.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 5 mm long. Hilum linear.

Distribution

Africa: northeast tropical.

Reference

Poeae. Mire 2005.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: threatened. Confidence: confident

Morphology General Habit

Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; 20-45 cm long. Leaf-sheaths loose to inflated; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades aciculate; conduplicate; 10-20 cm long; 0.5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7 vascular bundles; with 7 inner ridges; with sclerenchyma strands below veins; with 8 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; with subepidermal sclerenchyma free from veins; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface smooth.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; linear; 7-15 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches appressed; simple. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 3-4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 13-15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 3-4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 13-15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Fertile lemma elliptic; 7-9 mm long; chartaceous; purple; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2-4(-8) mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Anthers 3; 1.5-2.8 mm long. Ovary glabrous, or with a few apical hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; glabrous, or hairy at apex. Hilum linear.

Distribution

Africa: northeast tropical and east tropical.

Reference

Poeae. Fl Eth 1997.