Festuca arvernensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 31–65 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; with 0–0.33 of their length closed; with flat margins; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles erect; obtuse. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades curved; filiform; conduplicate; circular in section; 0.55–1 mm wide; glaucous; pruinose. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7–9 vascular bundles; with 3–5 inner ridges; with subepidermal sclerenchyma free from veins; with sclerenchyma strands widened to form a discontinuous subepidermal layer, or with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; dense; 4–6.5 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7.2–8.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.

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 ovate; 3.4–4.9 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4.5–5.7 mm long; chartaceous; glaucous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma margins eciliate, or ciliate. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1.5–2.5 mm long overall; 0.33–0.5 length of lemma. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid. Hilum linear. Disseminule comprising a caryopsis and palea.

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.