Festuca carpathica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes elongated. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 35–70 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.25 mm long. Leaf-blades convolute; 2–3 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade venation with sclerenchyma strands below veins and above all veins; subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins above and below. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Bisexual, or monoecious. Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; nodding. Primary panicle branches ascending. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6.3–6.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6.9–7.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; puberulous. Lemma apex acute; muticous. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

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

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central, southeastern, and eastern.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Eur 1995.

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