Festuca pseudovaginata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 30–35 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; ribbed; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.1–0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; circular in section; 0.3–0.6 mm wide; light green. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7 vascular bundles; with 3–5 inner ridges; with unevenly thickened subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or ovate; 5–8.5 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous; glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–7.1 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.9–3.2 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3.9–4.1 mm long; 0.8–0.85 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 4.6–5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma margins scaberulous. Lemma apex muticous, or mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1.2–1.8 mm long overall. Palea 4.1–5 mm long; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2.5–3 mm long; glabrous. Hilum linear. Disseminule comprising a caryopsis and palea.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central.

NOTES Poeae. Penksza 2005.

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