Vulpia pectinella

HABIT Annual. Culms 5–15 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 1–8 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; straight, or arcuate; unilateral; 2–3 cm long. Rhachis semiterete. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets pectinate; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.5–0.6 mm long; 0.1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3–4 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; rounded except near apex; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scabrous. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; sulcate on hilar side. Embryo 0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern. Africa: north. Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Iraq.

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