Sesleria tenuifolia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with reticulate dead sheaths. Culms erect; 20–30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; 15–30 cm long; 0.4–0.6 mm wide; pruinose. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 5–15 fertile spikelets. Peduncle tipped by a glumaceous appendage (treated as sterile spikelets).

Panicle spiciform; linear, or oblong; loose; 1–3 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile, or pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 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; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 4 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 4 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 4–5 mm long; membranous; grey; without keel; 3–5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex entire, or dentate; 3–5 -fid; awned; 1–3 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1.5 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns 0–1.5 mm long. Palea 1.1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate.

FLOWER Anthers 3. Stigmas 2; terminally exserted; pubescent. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southeastern.

NOTES Poeae. Deyl 1994.

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