Festuca elegans

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 50–100 cm long. Culm-internodes antrorsely scabrous. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or antrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.8–4.5 mm long; entire, or lacerate. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 7–45 cm long; 0.3–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially; pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or oblong; dense; 8–15 cm long. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets obovate; laterally compressed; 6–10 mm long; 2–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume obovate; 1.7–2.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume obovate; 2.5–3.2 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 3–4.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2–2.6 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; glabrous. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern. Africa: north.

NOTES Poeae. Gr Extremad 1993.

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