Festuca sommieri

HABIT Perennial; mat forming; clumped densely. Culms geniculately ascending; 5–15 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 4–10 cm long; 0.3–0.4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 4–7 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; oblong; nodding; bearing few spikelets. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 6–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; with membranous margins; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4–5.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 5–10 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliate. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1–1.6 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Caucasus and western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl USSR 1996.

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