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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 litardiereana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 20–40 cm long; 2 -noded. Culm-nodes brown. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 10–18 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5 vascular bundles; with 5 inner ridges. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse, or abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate; secund; 4–8 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending. Panicle axis scabrous; glabrous, or pubescent. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 3–5 mm long; tip widened.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or cuneate; laterally compressed; 8–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 2–2.5 mm long; scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 0.33–0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume linear, or lanceolate; 0.5–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness, or scaberulous. Lemma apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 4–8 mm long overall. Palea linear; 0.9 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.2–3.2 mm long; eventually exserted. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; sulcate on hilar side; 3–5 mm long; hairy at apex. Embryo 0.15 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 0.33 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Afr N 1993.

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