Festuca trachyphylla (Hackel) Krajina Acta Bot. Bohem. 9: 190, tab. 2, fig. 5,6. 1930.
F. ovina subsp. eu-ovina var. duriuscula subvar. trachyphylla Hackel, Monogr. Festuc. Europ.: 91. 1882. F. duriuscula auct. non L. 1753. F. ovina var. duriuscula auct. non (L.) Koch. 1837. Festuca longifolia forma villosa (Schrad.) Dore, in McNeill and Dore, Naturaliste Canad. 103: 560. 1966, non Festuca ovina var. villosa Schrad. 1806. F. brevipila Tracey, Plant Syst. Evol. 128: 287. 1977. Type: Germany. Brandenberg: Prenzlau, 90 km N.N.E. of Berlin, 1.5.(18) 65, Grantzow, ex herb Hackel. Lectotype: W, 977. (Wilkinson & Stace 1989, p. 295). Subg. Festuca L. sect. Festuca.
Vegetative morphology. Plants yellowish green, or bluish gray green, or deep green. Plants stiffly erect, or softly erect. Plants densely tufted. Plants with bases purplish (sometimes slightly). Plants with shoots intravaginal. Culms (20–)30–50(–75) cm tall. Culms internodes glabrous, or scabrous (sometimes retrorsely hairy just below the panicle). Culms nodes 1–2. Butt sheaths absent. Sheaths shorter than the internode. Sheaths glabrous, or with trichomes. Sheaths glabrescent, or scabrous. Sheaths open more than half their length. Sheaths conspicuous at the base of the plant, persisting for more than 1 year (but not always conspicuous). Sheaths remaining entire, not conspicuously splitting between the veins. Sheaths, of uppermost culm leaf not inflated. Collars glabrous. Auricles erect swellings. Ligules 0.1–0.3 mm long. Ligules margins ciliate. Leaf blades erect, stiffish (hard). Leaf blades involute. Leaf blades 8–30 cm long. Leaf blades adaxial surfaces with trichomes. Leaf blades abaxial surfaces glabrous, or with trichomes (scabrous, sometimes tomentose). Flag leaves blades 2–7 cm long. Leaf blades 0.4–0.47–0.6 mm wide. Leaf blades 0.75–0.9–1.15 mm deep. Veins (5–)7. Adaxial to abaxial sclerenchyma strands absent. Abaxial sclerenchyma well developed. Abaxial sclerenchyma in broad bands or continuous (forming an interrupted or almost continuous, unevenly thickened ring; Markgraf-Dannenberg (1980) indicated that the sclerenchyma is sometimes in 3 strands, but this has not been found in North American specimens). Ribs 3–5.
Floral morphology. Inflorescences 3–10(–13) cm long. Inflorescences branches 1.2–3.5 cm long. Inflorescences branches at the lowest nodes 1. Inflorescences branches appressed after anthesis. 1–5 fertile spikelets on the longest branches. Inflorescences branches angular in cross section. Inflorescences branches scabrous all over. Inflorescences branches vestiture dense. Spikelets proliferating absent (usually). Spikelets aggregated towards the ends of the branches. Spikelets 5.5–9(–10) mm long. Florets 4–7(–8). Glumes with trichomes. Glumes vestiture on the veins, or at the apex. Glumes margins broadly membranous. First glume 2–4 mm long. First glume 1–3 nerved. Second glume 3–5.5 mm long. Second glume 3 nerved. Second glume shorter than first lemma. Rachilla internodes antrorsely scabrous. Lemmas (3.8–)4–5(–5.5) mm long. Lemmas nerveless in dorsal view or sometimes with only the centre vein distinct. Lemmas glabrous, or with trichomes. Lemmas scabrous, or pubescent (very variable). Lemmas trichomes on the upper portion, or over the entire surface. Lemmas apices awns 0.5–2.5 mm long. Paleas 4–5 mm long. Paleas inter-keel regions pubescent. Lodicules with marginal teeth. Lodicules glabrous. Lodicules 0.6–1 mm long. Anthers 2–3(–3.4) mm long. Ovary apices glabrous. Fruits 2.5–3.5 mm long. Cytology. 2n = 42.
Notes. It is widely used in North America and Europe for land stabilization on pipelines, mine tailings, and roadsides plantings. It may have been introduced to China for similar purposes but this has not been confirmed.
Illustrations. • Growing as an ornamental plant. Festuca trachyphylla growing as an ornamental plant. Note tussock of basal leaves and narrow spike-like panicles. Photograph taken at the horticultural gardens, Agriculture Canada, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa. • Growing as "no mow" grass. Festuca trachyphylla being grown as a "no mow" grass. Photograph taken at Alberta Ellerslie Experimental Station, Edmonton, Alberta. • Leaf anatomy. Leaf cross section of F. trachyphylla. Leaf blades are 0.4–0.47–0.6 mm wide and 0.75–0.9–1.15 mm deep, with (5-)7 veins; adaxial to abaxial sclerenchyma strands are absent; abaxial sclerenchyma strands are well developed, in broad bands or continuous forming an interrupted or almost continuous, unevenly thickened ring; Markgarf-Dannenberg (1980) indicated that the sclerenchyma is sometimes in 3 strands, but this has not been found in North American specimens. There are 3–5 ribs.
Cite this publication as: ‘Xiang Chen, S.G. Aiken, and M.J. Dallwitz (2002 onwards). Festuca of China: Descriptions, Illustrations, Identification, and Information Retrieval. Version: 4th February 2003. http://www.cdelta.ibcas.ac.cn’.
