Common name: Squirrel Tail Fescue
Vulpia ciliata (Pers.) Link APNI* 
Description: Slender, tufted annual to 0.5 m high.
Culms erect or ascending, slender, glabrous; nodes 2–3, glabrous. Sheaths smooth, glabrous; ligule membranous, < 0.5 mm long, obtuse or asymmetric; blade1–15 cm long, c. 2 mm wide, abaxial surface glabrous or scattered with hairs c. 0.1 mm long, adaxial surface pubescent or pilose with hairs <0.25 mm long.
Inflorescence racemose, 1-sided, 2–15 cm long (excluding awns), to 1 cm wide (excluding awns); rachis scabrous, glabrous. Spikelets 5–10 mm long (excluding awns), to 3 mm wide (excluding awns); florets 5–9, proximal 1–2 florets female, distal 3–6 florets male. Glumes unequal, acute, awnless, smooth, glabrous; lower glume triangular, <30% length of upper glume; upper glume oblong to lanceolate, 1–3 mm long. Male lemmas lanceolate, 3–8 mm long (excluding awn), tapering to an awn, rounded on back, upper 50% often keeled, central nerve often scabrous, lower central nerve sometimes pilose with hairs to 1 mm long, margin ciliate with hairs to 1 mm long; awn straight, 8–12 mm long, scabrous; palea absent or greatly reduced. Female lemmas oblong to lanceolate 4–7 mm long, narrower than male lemmas, tapering to awn, round on back, upper 50% often keeled, central nerve pilose with hairs to 1 mm long, margin ciliate with hairs to 0.5 mm long; awn straight, 6–13 mm long, scabrous; palea subequal to lemma, 2-keeled.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in disturbed montane areas. Native of Eur.
NSW subdivisions: *NT, *ST, *CWS
Other Australian states: *Vic.
Text by Jacobs, S.W.L., Whalley, R.D.B. & Wheeler, D.J.B.
Taxon concept: Grasses of New South Wales, Fourth Edition (2008).
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
|
