Festuca longiauriculata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms (15–)20–26.5 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.66–0.75 of their length closed; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles erect; 0.4–0.9(–1) mm long; obtuse, or acute. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; truncate. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; elliptic in section; 4.5–10.5(–11.5) cm long; (0.55–)0.6–0.85 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 6 secondary veins; 3–5 inner ridges; with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising (13–)18–20 fertile spikelets. Peduncle smooth, or scaberulous above.

Panicle contracted; linear; dense; (3.5–)4–5.2 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets obovate; laterally compressed; 5–6.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.3 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.9–3.9 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; with scarious margins; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 3.9–5.1 mm long; (1–)1.2–1.4 mm wide; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn (0.9–)1–1.5 mm long overall. Palea lanceolate; 3.3–3.7 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.1–3.4 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern.

NOTES Poeae. Fuente et al 2014.

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