曲枝羊茅 qu zhi yang mao

Plants loosely tufted; shoots extravaginal. Culms (25–)30–65 cm tall, nodes 2–3. Leaf sheaths smooth; auricles present as erect swellings; leaf blades flat or involute, 3–10(–15) cm × 1.5–2.9 mm, veins (7–)12–14; adaxial to abaxial sclerenchyma strands present, abaxial sclerenchyma in narrow discrete strands; ligule 0.3–0.4(–0.5) mm, truncate, margin sometimes ciliolate. Panicle loose, nodding, 5–12(–16) cm; branches erect or slightly curved, 4–9 cm, 1(–2) at lowest node. Spikelets 6–8.5 mm; florets (2–)3–4(–5); glumes glabrous or punctate, margins broadly membranous, apex acuminate; lower glume narrowly lanceolate or lanceolate, (2.1–)2.8–4.5 mm; upper glume broadly lanceolate or oblong, 3.8–6 mm; rachilla internodes 0.7–1 mm; lemmas 5.5–7 mm, scabrid; awns 0.5–2 mm; palea keels scabrid. Anthers 1–1.2 mm. Ovary apex moderately hairy. Fl. and fr. Jun.

Grassy mountain slopes, forest margins; 4100–4800 m. Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [India (Sikkim), Nepal].

This taxon has been placed in Festuca subg. Drymanthele, but is probably closer to taxa in F. subg. Subulatae.