Vulpia myuros

HABIT Annual; culms solitary, or caespitose. Culms erect, or decumbent; 10–70 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Leaf-sheaths without keel; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–1 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 2–15 cm long; 0.5–3 mm wide; firm, or flaccid. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle contracted; linear; nodding; curved; 5–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle branches angular; scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 1–3 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–10 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. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas; scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear to lanceolate; 1–3.5 mm long; 0.15–0.4 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–8 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 5–15 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 1; 0.3–1 mm long; retained within floret. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; glabrous. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, northeast tropical, east tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Soviet far east, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, Arabia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India and Malesia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: south-central and north-central. North America: Subarctic, western Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America. Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.

NOTES Poeae. FTEA.

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