Festuca bartherei

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes absent. Basal innovations extravaginal and intravaginal. Culms erect; 40–50 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades conduplicate; linear in section; 10–30 cm long; 2–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 9–11 vascular bundles; with 7–9 inner ridges; with 7–11 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; with subepidermal sclerenchyma free from veins. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 10–16 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–6.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or asperulous; rough above. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn (1–)1.5–2(–2.2) mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern.

NOTES Poeae. Portal 2007.

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