Festuca minutiflora

HABIT Perennial. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms slender; 10–15 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths 2–4 cm long; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.75 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blades involute; 1–10 cm long; 0.5 mm wide; flaccid.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 2–4 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 2.5–3 mm long; 1.1–1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 2 mm long; chartaceous; purple (above); without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–1.5 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

DISTRIBUTION North America: northwest USA and southwest USA.

NOTES Poeae. Rydberg 2004.

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