Festuca spectabilis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths distinctly ribbed; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 80–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–5 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 1–3 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade venation with sclerenchyma strands below veins and above all veins; subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins above and below. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; nodding; 9–30 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5.8–7.6 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Ovary pubescent on apex.

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

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southeastern.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Eur 1995.

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