Festuca durandoi

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 50–110 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.4–4.6 mm long; bilobed. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 10–45 cm long; 0.4–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins smooth.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or oblong; dense; 8–20 cm long. Panicle axis smooth. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 7.5–10 mm long; 3.5–5.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5–5.1 mm long; 0.7–0.9 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 5–6 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–7.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute, or acuminate; mucronate. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2.5–4 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; glabrous. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern.

NOTES Poeae. Gr Extremad 1993.

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