Poaceae
Festuca

Festuca quadriflora Walter

First published in Fl. Carol.: 81 (1788)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Central & E. U.S.A. It is an annual and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

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]

Morphology General Habit
Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15-60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5-1 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 5-10 cm long; 0.5-1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle contracted; linear; 5-20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 3-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or cuneate; laterally compressed; 3.5-5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 3-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or cuneate; laterally compressed; 3.5-5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 1.3-2.5 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume linear; 2.5-4 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins obscure. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.5-3.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 4.5-9.5 mm long overall. Palea 0.9 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 1; 0.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; 1.5-2 mm long; glabrous.
Distribution
North America: north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.
Reference
Poeae. Gr Texas 1993.
[GB]

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

    • 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 2024. 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 2024. 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