Festuca transcaucasica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 25–40 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; with 0.24–0.33 of their length closed; with flat margins; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; elliptic in section; 7–15 cm long; 0.95–1 mm wide; glaucous; pruinose. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7 vascular bundles; with 3 inner ridges; with 3 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface smooth.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; oblong; 5–7 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending.

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; 7–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; chartaceous; light green; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–1.5 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 glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; glabrous. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Caucasus.

NOTES Poeae. St Yves 1997.

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