Festuca cagiriensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes absent. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 20–60 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; elliptic in section; 2–13 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 7–9 vascular bundles; with 3 inner ridges; with subepidermal sclerenchyma free from veins; with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside, or with unevenly thickened subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside (rarely).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; (3–)6–8(–11) cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; (8–)9–11(–12) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; (4.8–)5.5–7(–8) mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or asperulous. Lemma margins eciliate, or ciliolate. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn (1–)2–3(–3.5) 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.