Vulpia myuros

Species category

Weed

Common name

rattail fescue, rat-tailed fescue, foxtail fescue

Diagnostic characters

Planting unit

FloretFloret:
A small flower in a clustered inflorescence (e.g., sunflower, grasses). In grasses, a floret consists of the lemma, palea, stamens, and pistil.

Shape

Lanceolate

Size

  • Length 5.5–7 mm
  • Width 0.8–1 mm
  • Thickness 0.5–0.7 mm

Color

Brown

Texture

Top third of lemmaLemma:
One of two bracts of the grass floret; it is located on the side nearest the embryo and opposite the rachilla.
sparsely scabrousScabrous:
Rough to the touch, covered with minute points of very short, stiff hairs.
; paleaPalea:
One of the thin bracts of grass floret enclosing the fruit (caryopsis) that is located on the side opposite the embryo.
keels with short teeth.

Lemma

Margins enrolled with long slender awnAwn:
A narrow, bristle-like organ, as on the glumes or lemmas of grasses (Poaceae).

Palea

Keels nearly covered by lemmaLemma:
One of two bracts of the grass floret; it is located on the side nearest the embryo and opposite the rachilla.
; deep cavity.

Other structures

Long awnAwn:
A narrow, bristle-like organ, as on the glumes or lemmas of grasses (Poaceae).
; lateral groove above callusCallus:
The hard base of grass florets or spikelets, just above the point of disarticulation.
.

Identification notes

FloretFloret:
A small flower in a clustered inflorescence (e.g., sunflower, grasses). In grasses, a floret consists of the lemma, palea, stamens, and pistil.
is long and narrow with a long and slender awnAwn:
A narrow, bristle-like organ, as on the glumes or lemmas of grasses (Poaceae).
. PaleaPalea:
One of the thin bracts of grass floret enclosing the fruit (caryopsis) that is located on the side opposite the embryo.
is mostly concealed by the enrolled lemmaLemma:
One of two bracts of the grass floret; it is located on the side nearest the embryo and opposite the rachilla.
but nearly the same length as the lemmaLemma:
One of two bracts of the grass floret; it is located on the side nearest the embryo and opposite the rachilla.
excluding awnAwn:
A narrow, bristle-like organ, as on the glumes or lemmas of grasses (Poaceae).
. CaryopsisCaryopsis:
The single-seeded fruit or grain of the grass family (Poaceae); the fruit wall (pericarp) is united with the seed coat (testa).
is long and dark brown.

Noxious weed seed categories

Not listed

AOSA examination list

Included

Nomenclature

Family

Poaceae

Valid name

Vulpia myuros (L.) C.C. Gmel.

Synonyms

Festuca megalura Nutt.
Festuca megalura Nutt. var. hirsuta (Hack.) Asch. & Graebn.
Festuca myuros L.
Vulpia megalura (Nutt.) Rydb.
Vulpia myuros (L.) C.C. Gmel. var. hirsuta Hack.
Vulpia myuros (L.) C.C. Gmel. var. myuros

 Vulpia myuros.  Long and narrow floret with a long awn.
Vulpia myuros. Long and narrow floret with a long awn.