Festuca lugens

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 100–200 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat; 20–60 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 20 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 12–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas; smooth.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; 2–3 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4–6 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 8–9 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; glabrous, or puberulous. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 0.5–1 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Poeae. WDC 1995.

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