Festuca subverticillata

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose. Culms erect; 50–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or hirsute. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades flat; 10–20 cm long; 3–7(–9) mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 10–25 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5(–6) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 5–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 0.7–1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; 0.7–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3.5–5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex obtuse; muticous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION North America: western Canada, eastern Canada, north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Poeae. Gould.

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