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Vulpia octoflora — eight-flowered six-weeks grass

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Facts

Vulpia octoflora is a native, annual grass that is native to much of the United States and adjacent Canada. It is a species of open, upland areas.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), cliffs, balds, or ledges, meadows and fields, ridges or ledges

New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Characteristics

Habitat
terrestrial
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
Leaf blade width
0.5–1 mm
Inflorescence branches
the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence
Spikelet length
4–10 mm
Glume relative length
neither glume is quite as long as all of the florets
Awn on glume
  • the glume has an awn
  • the glume has no awn
One or more florets
there is more than one floret per spikelet
Lemma awn length
0.3–3 mm
Leaf sheath hair type
  • there are hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath, but the hairs do not have blisters at their bases
  • there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
Leaf ligule length
0.3–1 mm
Anther length
0.3–1.5 mm
Show all characteristics
  • Flowers

    Anther length
    0.3–1.5 mm
    Anther number
    1
    Awn on glume
    • the glume has an awn
    • the glume has no awn
    Bristles below spikelets
    no
    Floret lower bract texture
    the lemma is thin and flexible
    Floret number
    5–13
    Glume awn length
    At least 0 mm
    Glume relative length
    neither glume is quite as long as all of the florets
    Glume shape
    the glume is flat or curved in cross-section
    Glume veins
    • 1
    • 3
    Glumes per spikelet
    2
    Inflorescence arrangement
    the spikelets are uniform
    Inflorescence axis orientation
    • the inflorescence axis is arched or curved outward
    • the inflorescence axis is straight
    Inflorescence branches
    the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence
    Inflorescence branches coming off the lowest stem node
    1–2
    Inflorescence crowding
    • the panicle is somewhat to very congested (crowded), and the branches may not be clearly seen without close inspection
    • the panicle is somewhat to very spread out, with clearly-evident branches
    Inflorescence length
    10–200 mm
    Inflorescence length to width ratio
    2–13.3
    Inflorescence type (general)
    the spikelets are borne on stalks or on branches
    Inflorescence type (specific)
    the inflorescence is branched, and the branches do NOT both grow from the same side of the plant AND look like spikes
    Inflorescence width
    5–15 mm
    Inforescence position
    the spikelets are mainly carried at the end of the stem
    Lemma awn base
    the awn is attached right at the tip of the lemma
    Lemma awn coiled
    the lemma awn is straight or twisted, but not coiled one half turn
    Lemma awn length
    0.3–3 mm
    Lemma awn number
    the lemma has one awn on it
    Lemma awn orientation
    the awn of the lemma is straight
    Lemma cross-section
    the lemma is flat or rounded if you cut across the midpoint
    Lemma hairs
    • the lemma has fine hairs between the veins
    • the lemma is hairless between the veins
    Lemma keel hairs
    NA
    Lemma marginal vein hairs
    • the marginal vein of the lemma has fine hairs on it
    • the marginal vein of the lemma is hairless
    Lemma surface
    the surface of the lemma is relatively smooth (not counting any longitudinal veins or hairs)
    Lemma tip
    the lemma tip is a simple point, with or without an awn (long narrow extension ending in a point)
    Lemma tip shape
    the lemma tip tapers to a long narrow point (it may or may not also have an awn or teeth at the tip)
    Lemma vein number
    5
    Lemma vein orientation
    the veins on the lemma come together near the tip
    Lower glume length
    1.7–4.5 mm
    Lower glume relative length
    the lower glume is one third to three quarters as long as the upper glume
    One or more florets
    there is more than one floret per spikelet
    Palea relative length
    palea is one half to fully as long as lemma
    Reproductive system
    all the flowers on the plant have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
    Spikelet axis tip
    there is no extension of the spikelet axis beyond the tip of the spikelet
    Spikelet disintegration
    the spikelet breaks off above the glumes, so that after the florets fall off, the glumes remain
    Spikelet length
    4–10 mm
    Spikelet number per node
    Up to 0
    Spikelet pedicel
    the spikelets have pedicels
    Spikelet shape
    the spikelets are oblong (rectangular, but with rounded ends) in profile
    Spikelets spiny
    the spikelets do not appear spiny
    Tip of glume
    the tip of the glume is not divided (though it may have an awn on it)
    Upper glume length
    2.5–7.2 mm
    Upper glume relative length
    the upper glume is more than one half as long as the lowest lemma
    Upper glume shape
    • the upper glume is widest above the middle
    • the upper glume is widest at or below the middle
  • Fruits or seeds

    Groove on seed
    the caryopsis has a groove running most of its length
    Seed length
    1.7–3.7 mm
  • Growth form

    Horizontal rooting stem
    no
    Lifespan
    the plant lives only a single year or less
    Rhizomes
    no
    Roots
    there are only slender roots on the plant
  • Leaves

    Leaf auricles
    the leaves do not have auricles
    Leaf basal lobe hairy
    NA
    Leaf blade cross-section
    • the leaf blade is clearly folded or rolled inwards
    • the leaf blade is more or less flat in cross-section, or slightly folded or rolled inwards
    Leaf blade hairs
    • the leaf blade is hairless, but it may have tiny prickles that give it a sand-papery feel
    • the leaf blade is hairy
    Leaf blade length
    Up to 10 cm
    Leaf blade width
    0.5–1 mm
    Leaf ligule length
    0.3–1 mm
    Leaf ligule type
    the leaf ligule is in the form of a membrane
    Leaf margin glands
    there are no glands along the edges of the leaf blade
    Leaf sheath closed around stem
    the margins of the leaf sheath are overlapping and not fused together except in the basal half (or less)
    Leaf sheath hair type
    • there are hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath, but the hairs do not have blisters at their bases
    • there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
    Leaf sheath hairs
    • there are hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
    • there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
    Orientation of topmost leaf
    the flag leaf is held upright, or at less than a 45 degree angle out from the stem
  • Place

    Habitat
    terrestrial
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • New Hampshire
    • Rhode Island
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    • cliffs, balds, or ledges
    • man-made or disturbed habitats
    • meadows or fields
    • ridges or ledges
  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Hairs at nodes
    • the stem nodes are hairless or they have very sparse hairs
    • the stem nodes have hairs that stand out at a shallow angle, or they curve downwards
    Plant height
    5–60 cm
    Stem hairs
    • the stem has hairs on it
    • the stem is nearly to completely hairless
    Stem orientation
    • the stems are upright
    • the stems trail at the base, but turn upwards at the tips
    Stem spacing
    • the stems grow close together in compact clusters or tufts
    • the stems grow singly or a few together (they may form diffuse colonies)

Wetland status

Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)

In New England

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
present
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
present
Rhode Island
present
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Vermont
extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)

var. tenella

Massachusetts
fairly widespread (S-rank: S4S5)
New Hampshire
historical (S-rank: SH), endangered (code: E)

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

3.  Vulpia octoflora (Walt.) Rydb. N

eight-flowered six-weeks grass. 3a. Festuca octoflora Walt. var. glauca (Nutt.) Fern.; 
 F. octoflora Walt. var. tenella (Willd.) Fern.; F. tenella Willd.; F. tenella Willd. var. glauca Nutt.; Vulpia octoflora (Walt.) Rydb. var. glauca (Nutt.) Fern.; 3b. Festuca octoflora Walt. • CT, MA, 
ME, NH, RI, VT. Sandy roadsides, edges of parking lots, and fields, open ledges.

1a.  Spikelets 4–5.5 mm long; awn of lowest lemma 2.5–6 (–9) mm long 
 … 3a. V. octoflora var. tenella (Willd.) Fern.

1b.  Spikelets 5.5–10 mm long; awn of lowest lemma 0.3–3 mm long 
 … 3b. V. octoflora var. octoflora

Variety tenella is known from CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Variety octoflora is known only from CT. Some populations of Vulpia octoflora may be introductions. However, this is hard to assess given the species’ affinity to sites with a history of human disturbance.

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Vulpia myuros:
lower glume 0.5–2.5 mm long, mostly 25–33% as long as the upper glume, and awn of lowest lemma 7.5–22 mm long (vs. V. octoflora, with lower glume 1.7–4.5 mm long, 50–66% as long as the upper glume, and awn of lowest lemma 0.3–9 mm long).
Vulpia bromoides:
spikelets with 4–7 loose florets, rachilla internodes ca. 1 mm long, and awn of lowest lemma mostly 9–12 mm long (vs. V. octoflora, with spikelets with 5–13 close florets, rachilla internodes mostly 0.5–0.7 mm long, and awn of lowest lemma mostly 0.3–6 (–9) mm long).

Synonyms

  • Festuca octoflora Walt. var. glauca (Nutt.) Fern.
  • Festuca octoflora Walt. var. tenella (Willd.) Fern.
  • Festuca tenella Willd.
  • Festuca tenella Willd. var. glauca Nutt.
  • Vulpia octoflora (Walt.) Rydb. var. glauca (Nutt.) Fern.

Family

Poaceae

Genus

Vulpia