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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Vulpia geniculata

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–70(–115) cm long. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1.5 mm long; lacerate; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 3–15 cm long; 1.5–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; secund; 5–26 cm long; 1–6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle axis scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels clavate; 3.5–10 mm long; smooth, or scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or cuneate; laterally compressed; 7–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus brief; 0.1–0.2 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 3–5.5 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5.5–9 mm long; 1.1–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume margins eciliate, or ciliate. Upper glume apex acute; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.5–3 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5–7.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn (2.5–)4–8 mm long overall. Palea 4–5.5 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.8–2.8 mm long; eventually exserted. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; glabrous.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, southwestern, and southeastern. Africa: north and Macaronesia.

NOTES Poeae. Gr Extremad 1993.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.