Fimbristylis turkestanica (Regel) B. Fedtsch.

The pantropical Fimbristylis ferruginea (L.) Vahl-complex, where F. turkestanica belongs, is much in need of revision. Kern, in Fl. Malesiana, made distinction between F. sieberiana Kunth, based on Sieber n. 201 from Mauritius (isotype in H!), and F. ferruginea, based on Jamaican material, and assigned Iranian plants to former species [also Hooper in Townsewnd & Guest, Fl. Iraq (1985); see also Haines & Lye, l.c. 1983]. Central Asiatic plants were considered by Schischkin in Fl. URSS conspecific with F. ferruginea (see, however, Ovczinnikov, Fl. Tadjik. SSR, 2: 60, 1963, and Egorova, in Consp. Fl. Asiae Mediae 5: 31, 1976). Plants from Caucasus were described as F. schischkinii by Pobedimova, l.c. The northern populations are here considered distinct from both tropical F. ferruginea and F. sieberiana and are united under Central Asiatic F. turkestanica, see also Egorova (Novit. Syst. Pl. Vasc. 28: 11-12, 1991).

Caespitose to loosely caespitose perennial, 30-60 cm. Stem 0.6-1 mm diam., terete below, upper part compressed, grooved, glabrous. Leaves up to 30 cm, shorter than stem; sheaths membranous, upper parts usually slightly pubescent, light brown; ligule compact fringe of hairs; blades 0.75-1 mm wide, flat or involute, abaxial side with 3-7 prominent nerves, in adaxial side only two nerves along margins, margins scabrous esp. towards apex. Inflorescence 2-5 x 1-5 cm, of 5-15 spikes, which mostly pedunculate, solitary, sometimes in groups of 2-3 sessile spikes; lowest bract shorter than inflorescence or, occasionally, longer, scabrous, basal parts pubescent with wide scarious margins. Spikes 4-10 x 2-4 mm, terete, acutish, brown to greyish brown, glabrous; rachis winged, castaneous; glumes c. 3 x 2.5 mm, coriaceous, deciduous, widely ovate, slightly keeled, one-veined, mucronulate, straw-coloured below, light brown above, apical parts grey tomentose. Stamens 3; filaments finally 2.5 x 0.2 mm; anthers c. 0.8 x 0.2 mm, narrowly ellipsoid, connective tip mucro; style 1-1.2 x 0.2 mm, flat, ciliate, light brown to brown; stigmas 2, c. 0.8 mm, basal parts flat, ciliate. Nuts 1.2-1.5 x 1-1.3 mm, lenticular, globular or widely obovoid, white or yellowish, stipe c. 0.2 mm.

Distribution: Central Asia from Fergana Valley to Tadjikistan; extending from India to Caspian coasts, Turkey and Arabia and, further to N Africa; recently found also in Crete and Spain.

Fl. Per.: all year round, more profusely in September - October.

Moist alluvial meadows along rivers, also weed in fields and gardens, to 1400 m.

Isolepis turkestanica Regel in Acta Horti Petrop. 7: 561. 1880; F. sieberiana auct. non Kunth, Enum. Pl. 2: 237. 1837. F. ferruginea (L.) Vahl var. sieberiana auct. non (Kunth) Boeck. in Linnaea 37:17. 1871; F. ferruginea (L.) Vahl subsp. sieberiana auct. non (Kunth) Lye, Nordic Journ. Bot. 2:335. 1982. F. schischkinii Pobed., Not. Syst. Leningrad 12:18. 1950.