Festuca calligera

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes absent. Culms erect; 15–65 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; with 0.25–0.5 of their length closed; glabrous on surface, or hirsute; with reflexed hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; (0.2–)0.3–0.5(–1) mm long. Collar glabrous. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 0.4–0.8 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5–7 vascular bundles; with (1–)3–5 inner ridges; with sclerenchyma strands above all veins; with 7 subepidermal sclerenchyma strands; with subepidermal sclerenchyma free from veins. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially, or on both sides; glabrous, or pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 5–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–2(–3) -nate; bearing 2–3 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising (2–)4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; (6–)7–9(–11) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–4 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough above. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or elliptic; (2.8–)3–5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough above. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; (3.8–)4–6 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scabrous; rough above; glabrous. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–2.5 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea surface scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2.2–3.5 mm long. Ovary with a few apical hairs.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION North America: northwest USA, southwest USA, and south-central USA.

NOTES Poeae. Fl N Amer 2007.

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