Festuca primae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 10–20 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.5–0.75 of their length closed; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 0.2–0.6 mm wide; glaucous; pruinose. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5 vascular bundles; with 5 secondary veins; with 1–3 inner ridges; with 3 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface smooth; puberulous; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; 3–6 cm long. Panicle axis smooth. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4.8–5.5 mm long; chartaceous; light green; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3–6 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above; with 0.33 of their length adorned. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.8–2.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Caucasus.

NOTES Poeae. Alexeev 1995.

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