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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Festuca michaelis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 20–60 cm long; 2 -noded; with 0.5 of their length below uppermost node. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.5 of their length closed; smooth. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Leaf-sheath auricles erect; 0.3 mm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; elliptic in section; 2–15 cm long; 0.5–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7 vascular bundles; with 3 inner ridges; with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides; pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 7–44 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or oblong; 7–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1 -nate. Panicle axis 7–15 noded; scabrous. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 6–8.5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 6–8.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–3 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.4–4.8 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 4.2–6 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous; rough above. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 4–5 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern.

NOTES Poeae. Cebolla & Ponce 2005.

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