Festuca laxa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes elongated. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 30–60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7 vascular bundles; with 7 inner ridges; with subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins above and below. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; nodding; 6–10 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5.8–7.7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

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

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central and southeastern. Africa: Macaronesia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Eur 1995.

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