Sesleria robusta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rootstock evident. Basal innovations extravaginal and intravaginal. Culms erect; robust; 20–60 cm long; 2 mm diam. Culm-internodes scaberulous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 20–40 cm long; 3–4.5 mm wide; 3–10 cm long at summit of culm; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous; moderately hairy. Leaf-blade apex acute; apiculate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle tipped by a glumaceous appendage (treated as sterile spikelets).

Panicle spiciform, or capitate; oblong; 3–5.5 cm long; 0.7–0.9 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with evident branchlets on axis, or with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis with scattered hairs, or pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets represented by a single scale; 2 in number. Basal sterile spikelet glumes membranous; ciliate on margins.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein ciliate. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex acute; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1–2 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein ciliate. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acute; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–2 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3.5–4.5 mm long; membranous; shiny; without keel; 3–5 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; hairy on veins. Lemma apex entire, or dentate; 3–5 -fid; awned; 1–5 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–1.5 mm long overall. Palea 3.5–4.5 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea apex muticous, or with excurrent keel veins.

FLOWER Anthers 3. Stigmas 2; terminally exserted; pubescent.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southeastern.

NOTES Poeae. Deyl 1994.

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