Vulpia octoflora

HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 10–60 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 2–10 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle, or composed of racemes (when impoverished).

Panicle contracted; linear; 1–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–17 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 1.7–4.5 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.7–6.7 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.7–6.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.3–6 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 1.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1.7–2.3 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.1–0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India. Australasia: Australia. North America: western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. Gould.

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