Festuca tatrae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 20–45 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.5–0.66 of their length closed; with infolded margins; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 0.7–0.9 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5–9 vascular bundles; with 7–11 inner ridges; with sclerenchyma strands below veins; with 7–9 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; with subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins below. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; smooth.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 10 cm long. Panicle branches puberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7.9–8.6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 3–3.4 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 4.2–4.8 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; muticous. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2.5–3 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid. Hilum linear. Disseminule comprising a caryopsis and palea.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Eur 1995.

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