Festuca baffinensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 5–15 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 2–6 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle pubescent above.

Panicle contracted; linear; secund; 2–4 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.3–4.6 mm long; 0.7–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.6–5.2 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–3 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 0.2–0.5 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern and eastern. Asia-temperate: Soviet far east. North America: Subarctic.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Alaska 1994.

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