Poaceae
Festuca

Festuca amethystina L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 74 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Central & SE. Europe to NE. Türkiye. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Basal innovations extravaginal and intravaginal. Culms erect; 50-80 cm long; 2-3 -noded; with 0.25-0.33 of their length below uppermost node. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.5-0.75 of their length closed; with flat margins; ribbed. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; angular in section; 10-30 cm long; 0.3-0.75 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5-7 vascular bundles; with 3-5 inner ridges; without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth, or scaberulous above. Panicle open; ovate; nodding; 10-15 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2 -nate. Panicle branches pubescent. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 3-7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 7.8-8.3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 3-7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 7.8-8.3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3-3.5 mm long; 0.8-0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.2-4.3 mm long; 0.7-0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; with scarious margins; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 4.5-5.3 mm long; chartaceous; glaucous, or purple; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or hispid; hairy above. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 3-4 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.
Distribution
Europe: central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Asia-temperate: western Asia.
Reference
Poeae. Fl Turk 1993.
[GB]

Sources

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images