Festuca cyllenica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 27–45 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.33 of their length closed; with flat margins. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.4–2.7 mm long; acute, or acuminate. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; elliptic in section; 0.7–1.1 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 9–11 vascular bundles; with 7–9 inner ridges; with subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins above; with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; with rounded ribs. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; dense; 6–8.5 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 8.3–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–5.8 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6.3–7 mm long; chartaceous; mid-green, or purple; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.2–1 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southeastern. Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Turk 1993.

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