Festuca pringlei

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms 100–150 cm long. Leaves heterophyllous being wider on the culm. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 20–30 cm long; 3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 15–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; 4–4.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–6.5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6.5–8 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 4–4.5 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Nov Gal 1994.

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