Festuca calva

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 32–55 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.6–1.2 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 0.5–0.95 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7–9 vascular bundles; with 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 pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; nodding; 6–9 cm long. Panicle branches glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 9–10.3 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; 4–6.6 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3.5–5 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; mid-green and purple; suffused with last colour; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea surface scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2.5–4 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

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

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central and southeastern.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Eur 1995.

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