Festuca valida

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 65–106 cm long; 1.3–4 mm diam. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.8 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades filiform; 0.45–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 9–11 vascular bundles; with 7–9 inner ridges; with sclerenchyma strands below veins and above all veins; with subepidermal sclerenchyma attached to veins above and below; with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade surface ribbed.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; interrupted; nodding; 9–13 cm long. Panicle branches puberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

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 lanceolate; 6–7 mm long; 0.75–0.85 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 7.1–9.1 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–1.8 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3.5–4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid. Hilum linear. Disseminule comprising a caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southeastern.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Eur 1995.

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