Festuca litvinovii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 20–60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; with 0.25–0.33 of their length closed; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades straight; filiform; conduplicate; elliptic in section; 20–30 cm long; 0.4–0.8 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5–7 vascular bundles; with 1(–3) inner ridges; with 3 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands. Leaf-blade surface smooth.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; 3–8 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 5–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.66 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4–6 mm long; chartaceous; mid-green; dull; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1.5–2.5 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet far east, and China.

NOTES Poeae. Tsvelev 1997.

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