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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 muralis

HABIT Annual. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 10–60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths without keel; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long; entire, or lacerate; truncate. Leaf-blades 1–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; exserted.

Panicle open; linear; 3–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches sparsely divided.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; 0.5–3.5 mm long; tip rectangular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 5–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–3 mm long; 0.33–0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–6 mm long; 0.75–0.85 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–2 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4–7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scabrous; glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 8–20 mm long overall; 2–3 length of lemma. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped, or distinct from fertile; 0–2(–3) in number.

FLOWER Anthers 1(–3); 0.3–0.7 mm long; retained within floret. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; glabrous. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central, southwestern, and southeastern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, and south. Asia-temperate: western Asia and Arabia. Australasia: Australia. South America: western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Turk 1993.

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