Festuca auriculata

• Common Names
• Description
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• Bibliography
• More Info
• Notes

Common Names

Description

Family Poaceae

Annual or perennial herbs, or tall woody bamboos . Flowering stems (culms ) jointed , internodes hollow or solid; branches arising singly from nodes and subtended by a leaf sheath and 2-keeled prophyll, often fascicled in bamboos. Leaves arranged alternately in 2 ranks , differentiated into sheath, blade , and an adaxial erect appendage at sheath/blade junction (ligule) ; leaf sheath surrounding and supporting culm-internode, split to base or infrequently tubular with partially or completely fused margins , modified with reduced blade in bamboos (culm sheaths) ; leaf blades divergent, usually long, narrow and flat, but varying from inrolled and filiform to ovate , veins parallel, sometimes with cross-connecting veinlets (especially in bamboos) ; ligule membranous or a line of hairs . Inflorescence terminal or axillary , an open, contracted , or spikelike panicle, or composed of lax to spikelike racemes arranged along an elongate central axis, or digitate, paired , or occasionally solitary; axillary inflorescences often many, subtended by spatheoles (specialized bladeless leaf sheaths) and gathered into a leafy compound panicle; spikelets often aggregated into complex clusters in bamboos. Spikelets composed of distichous bracts arranged along a slender axis (rachilla) ; typically 2 lowest bracts (glumes ) empty, subtending 1 to many florets ; glumes often poorly differentiated from accompanying bracts in bamboos. Florets composed of 2 opposing bracts enclosing a single small flower, outer bract (lemma) clasping the more delicate, usually 2-keeled inner bract (palea) ; base of floret often with thickened prolongation articulated with rachilla (callus) ; lemma often with apical or dorsal bristle (awn ), glumes also sometimes awned . Flowers bisexual or unisexual ; lodicules (small scales representing perianth) 2, rarely 3 or absent, 3 to many in bamboos, hyaline or fleshy ; stamens 3 rarely 1, 2, 6, or more in some bamboos, hypogynous, filaments capillary , anthers versatile; ovary 1-celled, styles (1 or) 2(rarely 3), free or united at base, topped by feathery stigmas, exserted from sides or apex of floret. Fruit normally a dry indehiscent caryopsis with thin pericarp firmly adherent to seed, pericarp rarely free, fleshy in some bamboos; embryo small or large; hilum punctate to linear .

About 700 genera and 11,000 species: widely distributed in all regions of the world.Shou-liang Chen, De-Zhu Li, Guanghua Zhu, Zhenlan Wu, Sheng-lian Lu, Liang Liu, Zheng-ping Wang, Bi-xing Sun, Zheng-de Zhu, Nianhe Xia, Liang-zhi Jia, Zhenhua Guo, Wenli Chen, Xiang Chen, Yang Guangyao, Sylvia M. Phillips, Chris Stapleton, Robert J. Soreng, Susan G. Aiken, Nikolai N. Tzvelev, Paul M. Peterson, Stephen A. Renvoize, Marina V. Olonova & Klaus Ammann "Poaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 22. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.

Genus Festuca

Perennials , tufted , shoots extra- or intra-vaginal. Leaf sheath margins usually free , rarely connate , sometimes with auricles ; leaf blades folded to conduplicate and filiform , sometimes flat; ligule membranous. Inflorescence an open, contracted or spikelike panicle. Spikelets with 2 to several florets , uppermost floret usually reduced; rachilla usually scabrid , rarely smooth or pubescent ; disarticulating above glumes and between florets; glumes usually unequal, herbaceous to scarious , rarely subleathery, lower glume often small, 1-veined, upper glume usually shorter than lowest lemma, 3(-5) -veined; lemmas usually similar in texture to glumes, often subleathery at least with age, usually ± laterally compressed but not keeled , rounded on back at least toward base , usually 5-veined, veins sometimes prominent , apex acuminate, entire or notched , awned or awnless; palea subequal to lemma, keels scabrid, rarely smooth. Stamens 3. Ovary glabrous or hairy on top. Caryopsis oblong or linear , usually ventrally sulcate , usually free from lemma and palea, hilum long-linear. x = 7.

About 450 species:temperate regions throughout the world, extending into the tropics on mountain tops; 55 species (25 endemic) in China.

Many of the species are superficially very similar, particularly among the fine-leaved species. In these, the position of sclerenchyma tissue , as seen in a cross section of the leaf blade, is an important aid to identification. The type of branching of the basal vegetative shoots (tillers) is also important. If the shoot breaks through the base of the subtending leaf sheath a loose tuft results (extravaginal branching), but if it grows up inside the leaf sheath a denser tuft results (intravaginal branching).

The fine-leaved species include a number of species aggregates . The aggregate name has been used in the main key , as this will be sufficient for most users . Within the aggregates individual taxa are recognized either at specific or infraspecific rank, but the differences between the taxa are slight and often overlapping.

This large genus is divided into subgenera , which are indicated in the key. Recent molecular work is indicating that the larger broad-leaved species are not closely related to the fine-leaved species.

Most of the species provide good grazing, and some are important constituents of fine lawns.Sheng-lian Lu, Xiang Chen & Susan G. Aiken "Festuca". in Flora of China Vol. 22 Page 1, 225, 242. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.

Taxonomy

Unambiguous Synonyms

1. Festuca ?auriculata Drobow
2. Festuca auriculata Drob., 1915
3. Festuca auriculata Drobow

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000

Similar Species

Members of the genus Festuca

There are approximately 2150 species in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

F. 'Eisvogel' · F. 'Emerald' · F. 'Fromefield Blue' · F. 'Hogar' · F. 'Siskiyou Blue' · F. 'Willow Green' · F. abbreviata · F. abortiva · F. abyssinica · F. acamptophylla · F. acanthophylla · F. acerosa · F. achtarovii · F. actae · F. actae 'Banks Peninsula Blue' (Fescue) · F. acuminata · F. acuta · F. acutiflora · F. adamovicii · F. adamovicii bistrae · F. adanensis · F. adscendens · F. aequipaleata · F. aetnensis · F. affinis · F. affinis var. multiflora · F. afghanica · F. africana · F. agrestis · F. agrostidea · F. aguana · F. agustini · F. agustinii · F. airoides (Tufted Fescue) · F. akhanii · F. alaica · F. alaica pamirica · F. alatavica · F. albida · F. alekseevii · F. aleppica · F. alexeenkoi · F. alfrediana · F. algeriensis · F. aliena · F. alopecuroides · F. alopecuros · F. alopecurus · F. alpestris · F. alpigena · F. alpina · F. alpina riverae · F. alpina var. briquetii · F. altaica (Altai Fescue) · F. altaica arizonica · F. altaica eu-altaica · F. altaica f. intermedia · F. altaica f. vivipara · F. altaica scabrella · F. altaica var. aristulata · F. altaica var. genuina · F. altissima · F. altopyrenaica · F. ambigua · F. amblyodes · F. amblyodes erectiflora · F. americana · F. amethustinum · F. amethystina (Rainbow Fescue) · F. amethystina 'Bronzeglanz' · F. amethystina 'Superba' (Rainbow Fescue) · F. amethystina f. dasyphylla · F. amethystina f. subglabra · F. amethystina kummeri · F. amethystina ritschii · F. amethystina var. turcica · F. amherstiana · F. ammobia (Sand Fescue) · F. ammophyla · F. ampla · F. ampla simplex · F. ampliflora · F. amplissima · F. amplissima magdalenaensis · F. amurensis · F. anatolica · F. anatolica borealis · F. ancachsana · F. anceps · F. andicola · F. anomala · F. antarctica · F. anthoxanthia · F. antipoda · F. antucensis · F. apennina · F. apheles · F. apuanica · F. aquatica · F. aquisgranensis

Bibliography

• Chen Shouliang, Jin Yuexing, Zhuang Tide, Fang Wenzhe, Sheng Guoying, Liu Liang, Wu Zhenlan, Lu Shenglian, Sun Bisin, Hu Zhihao, Wang Song, Sun Xiangzhong, Wang Huiqin, Yang Xilin, Wang Chaopin, Li Binggui & Wen Shaobin. 1990. Gramineae (Poaceae) (4). In: Chen Shouliang, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 10(1):1401
• Chen Shouliang, Zhuang Tide, Fang Wenzhe, Sheng Guoying, Jin Yuexing, Liu Liang, Sun Bisin, Hu Zhihao & Wang Song. 1997. Gramineae (Poaceae) (5). In: Chen Shouliang, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 10(2): 1301
• Liu Liang, Zhu Taiping, Chen Wenli, Wu Zhenlan & Lu Shenglian. Gramineae (Poaceae) (2). In: Liu Liang, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 9(2): 1405
• Lu Sheng-lian, Sun Yong-hua, Liu Shang-wu, Yang Yong-chang, Wu Zhen-lan, Kuo Pen-chao, Yang Hsi-ling, Wang Chao-pin & Tsui Nai-ran. 1987. Gramineae (3). In: Kuo Pen-chao, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 9(3): 1329
• Wang Zhengping, Ye Guanghan, Yang Yaling, Yu Zehua, Hu Chenhua, Geng Bojie, Feng Xuelin, Jia Liangzhi, Xia Nianhe, Li Dezhu, Zhang Weiping, Xue Jiru, Zhu Zhengde, Zhao Qiseng, Chen Shouliang, Sheng Guoying, Chen Shaoyun, Yao Changyu, Lu Jionglin, Sun Jiliang, Lin Wantao, Yi Tongpei, Zhao Huiru, Wen Taihui & Dai Qihui. 1996. Gramineae (Poaceae) (1).

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Notes

Contributors

• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2006. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed April 21, 2007.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed February 28, 2008. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 3 providers.
• MBLWHOI Library: Universal Biological Index and Organizer. uBio.org accessed July 18, 2008.

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal February 28, 2008:

• Canadian Museum of Nature: Canadian Museum of Nature Herbarium
• University of Alaska Museum of the North: University of Alaska Museum of the North Herbarium (ALA)
• Utah State University: USU-UTC Specimen Database

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2671995
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-513522
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 299246
• Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:402399-1
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 513522
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: PMPOA2V1J0
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 169605

Footnotes

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