Festuca acuminata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 25–50 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; with 0.25–0.33 of their length closed; antrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.6–1.9 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 0.4–0.7 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7–9 vascular bundles; with (3–)5(–7) inner ridges; with sclerenchyma strands above some veins and above all veins; with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute; pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle antrorsely scabrous above.

Panicle open; ovate; nodding; 4–7.5 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Panicle branches puberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8.5–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

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

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5.1–6.3 mm long; chartaceous; yellow and purple; suffused with last colour; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.6 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.5–3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid. Hilum linear. Disseminule comprising a caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central, southwestern, and southeastern.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Eur 1995.

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