Festuca uralensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 15–58 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; with 0.15 of their length closed; with flat margins; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; filiform; conduplicate; angular in section; 0.4–0.6 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7 vascular bundles; with 3–5 inner ridges; with sclerenchyma strands absent; with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; dense; 3–7.5 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 7–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume linear, or lanceolate; 3.7–4.6 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; with scarious margins; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma linear, or lanceolate; 4.6–6.1 mm long; chartaceous; glaucous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2–3 mm long overall; 0.33–0.6 length of lemma. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: eastern.

NOTES Poeae. Tsvelev 1997.

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