| Home | > | List of families | > | Poaceae | > | Polypogon | > | monspeliensis |
| Synonyms: |
Agrostis alopecuroides Lam. Alopecurus monspeliensis L. Phalaris cristata Forssk. Phleum crinitum Schreb. Phleum monspeliense (L.) Koel. Polypogon flavescens J. S. Presl ex C. B. Presl Polypogon monspeliensis var. capensis Steud. Polypogon monspeliensis var. vulgaris Coss. Polypogon polysetus Steud. Santia monspeliensis (L.) Parl. Santia plumosa Savi |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | |
| Description: |
A loosely caespitose rather variable annual. Culms 5-75(90) cm. tall, 2-6-noded, erect or ascending from a decumbent base, slender to somewhat stout, simple, glabrous, smooth or sometimes scaberulous towards the panicle. Leaf-sheaths longer (the lower) to shorter (the upper) than the internodes, usually loose, glabrous, smooth or scaberulous towards the mouth. Ligule 3-15 mm. long, oblong, often lacerate, dorsally asperulous. Leaf-laminae 2.5-15(20) x 0.2-0.9 cm., lanceolate-linear to linear, tapering to an acute point, usually expanded, flaccid to somewhat rigid, scaberulous along the nerves on both surfaces or smooth on the lower surface. Panicle 1.5-16 cm. long, very dense, spike-like, bristly, cylindrical or often lobed, compact, rarely interrupted, pale-green or yellowish, rarely brownish; branches obliquely ascending to almost appressed to the rhachis, divided from the base. Lateral pedicels rather short, disarticulating about the middle. Spikelets 2-3 mm. long (excluding the awn). Glumes 1-2 mm. long (excluding the awn), subequal, narrowly oblong, dorsally scabrous, with the obtuse apex minutely 2-lobed; awn 4-7.5 mm. long, scaberulous. Lemma c. 1/2 the length of the glumes (excluding the awn), broadly elliptic with the apex minutely dentate; awn (if present) 1.5-2.5 mm. long. Anthers c. 0.5 mm. long, oblong. Caryopsis c. 1 mm. long. |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | |
| Habitat: | In waste land, rubbish tips or in cultivated land, also in salt marshes; usually in damp soil |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Europe, the Mediterranean and in the temperate parts of Asia and Africa, introduced into most temperate and warm regions of the Globe, Botswana, Zimbabwe |
| Botswana distribution: | SE |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Launert, E. (1971). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(1) Pages 84 - 86. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 108. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 143. |
| Home | > | List of families | > | Poaceae | > | Polypogon | > | monspeliensis |