Festuca pindica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 50–60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.7–2.2 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 0.5–0.8 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7–9 vascular bundles; with 5–7 inner ridges; with sclerenchyma strands below veins and above all veins; with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; interrupted; nodding; 5–7.5 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous; scabrous; glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 9–11.3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 4.6–6.4 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; with scarious margins; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6.5–7.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous, or mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0–1 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea surface pubescent; hairy all along. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 3–4 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid. Hilum linear. Disseminule comprising a caryopsis and palea.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southeastern.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Eur 1995.

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