Festuca karatavica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or decumbent; 50–140 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–5 mm long. Leaf-blades 20–45 cm long; 2–10 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or oblong; 9–18 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1–3 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 7–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or cuneate; laterally compressed; 8–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5–4 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4–5 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute; muticous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; glabrous. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia and western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. =Leucopoa karatavica. WDC.

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