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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 microstachys

HABIT Annual; culms solitary, or caespitose. Culms 7–45 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 5–10 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or ovate; 3–13 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading, or reflexed (at maturity). Panicle branches with prominent pulvini.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or cuneate; laterally compressed; 1–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 1.7–5.5 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous; glabrous, or pubescent. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–7.5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume surface scabrous; glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.5–7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface scabrous; glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn (3–)6–20 mm long overall. Palea 0.9 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea apex with excurrent keel veins. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers (1–)3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; 3.5–5.5 mm long; glabrous.

DISTRIBUTION North America: western Canada, northwest USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Poeae. Lon & Gould 1993.

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