Poaceae
Grass Family
Festuca paradoxa Desv.
- Stem: perennial; tufted; 2’ to 3’ tall; smooth.
- Leaves: sheath smooth; ligule none; blade with oblique base, 8” by 3/16”, smooth.
- Inflorescence: flower stalk branched, spikelets near ends of branches; not spreading, 8” long.
- Spikelets: 3/16” long, wide and flat; glumes shorter than the lemmas, usually three fertile florets per spikelet; flowering from mid- to late June.
- Fruits: fruiting begins in late June; fruits begin dropping from the glumes in August.
- Habitat: very uncommon on moist prairies.
- Bibliography from Biodiversity Heritage Library
- Vascular Plants of Iowa
