Festuca picoeuropeana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 15–23 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves 8–13 per branch. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1.7–3 mm long; 1–2 mm long on basal shoots. Leaf-blades filiform; angular in section; 2–11 cm long; 0.6–0.8 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 7–9 secondary veins; 5–7 inner ridges; with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; puberulous; densely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or ovate; 3–6 cm long. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 7–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.6–4.2 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; scarious; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4–4.5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; without keels; 3 -veined.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; scarious; much thinner above; mid-green and red; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 4.5–7 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern.

NOTES Poeae. Nava 2005.

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