Festuca hallii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; 30–90 cm long; 2 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-sheaths tight; antrorsely scabrous. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 10–50 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute; pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; equilateral, or nodding; 3–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; 1–2 -nate. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 7–8 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–9 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 8–10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; rounded except near apex; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels pubescent. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION North America: western Canada, eastern Canada, and northwest USA.

NOTES Poeae. Piper 2004.

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