Poaceae
Festuca

Festuca caucasica (Boiss.) Hack. ex Trautv.

First published in Trudy Imp. S.-Peterburgsk. Bot. Sada 9: 401 (1884)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Caucasus. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 20-50 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5-2 mm long. Leaf-blades convolute; 3-4 mm wide; grey-green. Leaf-blade surface ribbed. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Dioecious. Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; oblong; 7-12 cm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Male inflorescence similar to female. Male spikelets resembling female.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 4-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 7-10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 4-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 7-10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5-6 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; pallid; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6-7 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; pallid; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins obscure. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma oblong; 7-8 mm long; membranous; pallid; keeled; lightly keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma surface puberulous. Lemma apex acute; muticous. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 6 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.
sex Male
Male inflorescence similar to female. Male spikelets resembling female.
Distribution
Asia-temperate: Caucasus.
Reference
Poeae. Fl USSR 1995.
[GB]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • 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

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. 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 2025. 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