Festuca auriculata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms 8–13 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.5–0.75 of their length closed; wider than blade at the collar; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles erect; 0.5–1.5 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades curved; filiform; conduplicate; elliptic in section; 4–10 cm long; 0.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5–7 vascular bundles; with 3 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough abaxially; pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 2–3 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough above. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4 mm long; 0.8–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough above. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4–5 mm long; chartaceous; light green; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2–2.5 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: eastern. Asia-temperate: Siberia and Soviet far east.

NOTES Poeae. Fl USSR 1995.

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