Festuca graeca

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 30–60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; with 0.25–0.5 of their length closed; pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.4–1.1 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 0.4–0.75 mm wide; glaucous; without exudate, or pruinose. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7(–9) vascular bundles; with 5 inner ridges; with sclerenchyma strands above some veins and above all veins; with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; smooth; puberulous; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 4–6 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous; scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8.5–12 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 ovate; 4.1–6 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 5.8–7.1 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; mid-green; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex acuminate; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.1–1.1 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 3–3.5 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

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

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southeastern.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Eur 1995.

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