Festuca gigantea (L.) Vill.

Graminae

Synonyms

Bromus giganteus L.

Common names

Giant fescue (English), Fétuque géante (French), Riesen schwingel (German).

Description

Perennial plant, big size, hairless, cespitous. Stems erect, 60 - 150 cm high. Blade rolled when young, very wide (5 - 15 cm), flat, striate, shiny on the lower side. Ligule very short. Auricles narrow. Panicle-like inflorescence, spreading, loose, leaning. Spikelets with 5 - 9 aristate flowers. The weight of 1000 seeds is 3.0 to 5.0 g (big seeds). Chromosome number: 2n = 42 (hexaploid).

Temperature

Large climate range. Cold resistant. Optimum in shady sites.

Soil

Optimum on wet soils. Thrives on nutrient poor soils. Often on humus-rich soils.

Distribution

Native to Europe, except its northern part, and to West and Central Asia.

References