Festuca tristis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms slender; 20–50 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule absent. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; angular in section; 5–25 cm long; 0.6–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5 vascular bundles; with 7 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; with subepidermal sclerenchyma free from veins. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scabrous; rough abaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 5–7 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches 2–4 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5–5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; pallid; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; pallid; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6–6.5 mm long; chartaceous; purple; keeled; lightly keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma apex acute; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.5–2.2 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1.5–4 mm long. Ovary with a few apical hairs.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet Middle Asia, China, and Mongolia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl USSR 1995.

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