Festuca tschujensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 5–25 cm long; 0.3–0.5 mm diam. Culm-internodes smooth. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.4–0.5 of their length closed; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades straight, or curled; filiform; conduplicate; elliptic in section; 4–10 cm long; 0.3–0.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7 vascular bundles; with 1(–3) inner ridges; with 3 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; with subepidermal sclerenchyma strands enlarged at midrib; with subepidermal sclerenchyma free from veins. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially; pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 2–3 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.8–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4–5.2 mm long; chartaceous; light green; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.8–2 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Siberia.

NOTES Poeae. Tsvelev 1997.

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