Festuca brevipila

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 25–50(–70) cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; with 0 of their length closed; pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; elliptic in section; 0.5–0.8(–0.9) mm wide; stiff; mid-green, or glaucous; without exudate, or pruinose. Leaf-blade midrib keeled beneath. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5 vascular bundles, or 7 vascular bundles, or 9 vascular bundles; with 3 inner ridges; with sclerenchyma strands widened to form a discontinuous subepidermal layer, or with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous, or scabrous; rough adaxially; puberulous, or pubescent; hairy on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate, or oblong; nodding; 3.5–9.5 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1.7–3(–3.5) mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising (4–)5–7(–8) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6.5–8(–8.5) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or oblong; 2–3.5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous; glabrous, or puberulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 3–4.7 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous; glabrous, or puberulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; (4.2–)4.4–5.3 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous, or puberulous. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2–3.2 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.8–3 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern and central.

NOTES Poeae. Gr. Brit. Isles 2014.

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