Festuca trichophylla

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 30–68 cm long; 0.7–1 mm diam. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; with flat margins; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 0.3–0.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5 vascular bundles; with subepidermal sclerenchyma strands similar in size; with subepidermal sclerenchyma free from veins. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; pubescent. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 6–10 cm long. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–8.6 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; 3.4–4.3 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.9–5.4 mm long; chartaceous; mid-green; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.5–1 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

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

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central, southwestern, and southeastern.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Eur 1995.

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