POLYPOGON

Polypogon Desf., Fl. Atlant. 1: 66. 1798; Boiss., Fl. Or. 5: 520. 1884; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 7: 245. 1897; Blatter & McCann, Bombay Grasses 207. 1935; Bor, Fl. Assam 5: 154. 1940; Bor, Grasses Burma, Ceyl. Ind. Pak. 403. 1960; Tutin in Tutin et al., Fl. Eur. 5: 235. 1980; Sharma & Khosla, Grasses Punj. & Chandigarh 30. 1989; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 22: 361; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 466.

Annuals or perennials. Leaf blades linear, flat; ligule membranous. Inflorescence short, spiciform or lobed panicle. Spikelets laterally compressed, often bristly, 1-flowered, densely crowded, deciduous, spikelets falling with a slender basal stipe attached. Rachilla persistent, disarticulating below the glumes, not extending beyond the florets. Glumes 2, equal or subequal, longer than florets, keeled, entire or 2-fid, scabrid, 1-veined, awned, awn arising from the sinus or below the tip. Lemma much smaller, about 1/2 as long as glumes, smooth, thin, hyaline, obscurely 5-veined, veins usually excurrent from truncate apex, awned or not. Palea 1/2 or equalling lemma, 2-keeled. Stamens 1-3.

23 species

Polypogon monspeliensis

Polypogon monspeliensis (L.) Desf., Fl. Atlant. 1: 66. 1798; Boiss., Fl. Or. 5: 520. 1884; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 7: 245. 1897; Blatter & McCann, Bombay Grasses 207. 1935; Bor, Fl. Assam 5: 154. 1940; Bor, Grasses Burma, Ceyl. Ind. Pak. 403. 1960; Sharma & Khosla, Grasses Punj. & Chandigarh 32. 1989; Dhaliwal & Sharma, Fl. Kullu Dist. 699. 1999; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 22: 362; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 467; Alopecurus monspeliensis L., Sp. Pl. 61. 1753.

Annual; culms erect or decumbent, ascending, simple or tufted, nodes glabrous. Leaf blades 5-20 cm x 4-8 mm, linear, flat, tapering to a sharp point, adaxial surface and margin scabrid; ligule 5-7 mm, ovate-oblong, membranous, lacerated; leaf sheath glabrous. Panicle narrowly oblong in outline, 4-10 cm x 1-2.7 cm, cylindrical, spiciform, thyrsiform, very dense and bristly, pale green, sometimes lobed or interrupted below. Spikelets 2-2.5 mm long, narrow oblong, 1-flowered, very shortly pedicelled, pedicel ca. 0.8 mm long. Glumes nearly equal, obovate-oblong, slightly notched at apex, minutely hairy on margin, keeled, keel scabrid, margins ciliate, apex 2-fid, awned from sinus; awn slender, straight, scabrid, 2-3 times longer than the glumes. Lemma much shorter than the glumes, obovate, membranous, hyaline, apex 4-toothed, awnless or awned, awn very short, scabrid. Palea as long as lemma, oblong, hyaline, apex notched. Stamens 3.

Flowering and Fruiting: February to August
Common Names: Annual Beard-grass, Annual Rabbit’s-foot grass