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Mediterranean beardgrass

water beardgrass

Habit Plants annual, (5)20–40 cm tall. Plants perennial, often flowering the first year, 10–90 cm tall.
Leaves

sheaths glabrous; the uppermost sheaths sometimes inflated;

ligules to 7 mm;

blades (1)3–9(14)cm × 0.5–5 mm.

sheaths glabrous; smooth;

ligules to 5 mm;

blades 2–13 cm × 1–6 mm.

Inflorescences

narrowly ellipsoid, sometimes lobed; (1)2– 8(15)cm;

pedicels to 0.5 mm;

stipes 0.1–1.2 mm.

ovoid-oblong to pyramidal, interrupted, 2–10 cm;

pedicels not developed;

stipes 0.1–0.6 mm.

Glumes

1.8– 8.2 mm, ciliate, with large hairs or protrusions in the lower half;

tips lobed;

lobes 0.3–1.2 mm; about 17% as long as the glume body, awned;

glume awns 4–10 mm; yellowish.

1.5–2 mm, scabrous on the back and keel;

tips obtuse to truncate; awnless.

Lemmas

0.5– 1.5 mm, glabrous, awned or awnless;

lemma awns 0–1 mm.

approximately 1 mm;

tips erose; awnless.

Anthers

0.4–0.5 mm.

0.3–0.5 mm.

2n

=14, 42.

=28.

Polypogon maritimus

Polypogon viridis

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Disturbed wet sites, streamsides. 100–300m. Sisk. CA, NV; FL, GA, SC; Eurasia. Exotic.

This rare or overlooked introduction has lobed, ciliate glumes that look almost spiny near the base.

Mesic stream banks, rivers, ditches. 0–100m. Col, WV. CA, NV, WA; north to British Columbia, southeast to TX; Eurasia. Exotic.

This small grass resembles an Agrostis with unusually scabrous glumes, but its spikelets disarticulate below the glumes. Unlike other Polypogon species, it lacks glume awns. It has been collected from two sites along the Columbia River.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 470
Barbara Wilson, Richard Brainerd, Nick Otting
Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 470
Barbara Wilson, Richard Brainerd, Nick Otting
Sibling taxa
P. australis, P. fugax, P. interruptus, P. monspeliensis, P. viridis
P. australis, P. fugax, P. interruptus, P. maritimus, P. monspeliensis
Synonyms Agrostis semiverticillata, Agrostis verticillata
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