Festuca ligulata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes absent, or elongated. Culms decumbent; 50–80 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–4 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 6–20 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle antrorsely scabrous above.

Panicle open; linear; 5–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1–3 in number; appressed. Panicle branches stiff; scaberulous.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

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

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3 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 lanceolate; 4 mm long; 0.66–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4–6 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute; muticous. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION North America: south-central USA and Mexico.

NOTES Poeae. Gr Texas 1994.

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