Festuca tzvelevii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 8–15 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.5–0.75 of their length closed; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 2–8(–12) cm long; 0.3–0.5 mm wide; glaucous; pruinose. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5(–7) vascular bundles; with 5–7 secondary veins; with 1–3 inner ridges; with 5–7 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation, or with sclerenchyma strands widened to form a discontinuous subepidermal layer. Leaf-blade surface smooth; puberulous; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; 1.5–3.5 cm long. Panicle axis smooth. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

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

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3.8–4 mm long; chartaceous; purple; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2.5–5 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above; with 0.33 of their length adorned. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.7–2.2 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Caucasus.

NOTES Poeae. Alexeev 1995.

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