Aira caryophyllea var. cupaniana

(Guss.) Fiori
Common names: Silvery hairgrass
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 24. Treatment on page 616.
Please click on the illustration for a higher resolution version.
Illustrator:

Copyright:

Pedicels 2.8-6.5 mm, usually 1-3 times as long as the spikelets, abruptly thickened at the apices. Spikelets 1.3-2.6 mm, spreading, divergent from the secondary branches, silvery-green. Glumes equal to subequal, 1.3-2.6 mm, 1-3-veined, subobtuse, usually denticulate, often mucronate; lower lemmas 1.3-1.9 mm, usually unawned; upper lemmas 1.3-2 mm, apices bifid, awned, awns 1.8-2.5 mm, geniculate; paleas 0.9-1.4 mm; anthers 0.2-0.4 mm, yellow or purple. Caryopses about 1 mm long, 0.3-0.4 mm wide, glabrous.

Discussion

Aira caryophyllea var. cupaniana is native to southern Europe and northern Africa, growing in mesic, open habitats in disturbed areas or open woodland. It was discovered in a prescribed burn area of Mount Diablo State Park in Contra Costa County, California, in 1995, but was not relocated in 1999.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"decumbent" is not a number."-3timesaslongasthespikelets" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

lacerate +, acute +  and subobtuse +
membranous +  and scarious +
purple +  and yellow +
0.02 cm0.2 mm <br />2.0e-4 m <br /> (0.04 cm0.4 mm <br />4.0e-4 m <br />) +
prow-tipped +
awned +  and bifid +
J.K. Wipff +
(Guss.) Fiori +
1 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
straight +
attached +
basal +  and terminal +
geniculate +
0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
keeled +  and rounded +
pseudopetiolate +  and branching +
intravaginal +, extravaginal +, branching +  and basal +
swelling +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (13.5 cm135 mm <br />0.135 m <br />) +
not evident +
scabridulous +
cross +, linear +  and narrowly lanceolate +
0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
capillary +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (?) +
0.02 cm0.2 mm <br />2.0e-4 m <br /> (0.04 cm0.4 mm <br />4.0e-4 m <br />) +
Silvery hairgrass +
not branching +
4.5 cm45 mm <br />0.045 m <br /> (55 cm550 mm <br />0.55 m <br />) +
not woody +
1/4 +  and 1/3 +
liquid +, soft +  and hard +
capillary +
pistillate +  and staminate +
sometimes longer +
compressed +
extended +
subtending +
scabridulous +
mucronate +, denticulate +  and subobtuse +
subequal +
0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br /> (0.26 cm2.6 mm <br />0.0026 m <br />) +
membranous +
uncinate +
scabridulous +
lanceolate +  and ovate +
0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br /> (0.26 cm2.6 mm <br />0.0026 m <br />) +
subcoriaceous +
0.12 cm1.2 mm <br />0.0012 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
membranous +
inconspicuous +
lanceolate +
0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br /> (0.19 cm1.9 mm <br />0.0019 m <br />) +
concealed +  and prominent +
2 +  and 1 +
well-developed +
2-keeled +
0.09 cm0.9 mm <br />9.0e-4 m <br /> (0.14 cm1.4 mm <br />0.0014 m <br />) +
membranous +
1.2cm +  and 13.5cm +
spikelike +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
capillary +
0.28 cm2.8 mm <br />0.0028 m <br /> (0.65 cm6.5 mm <br />0.0065 m <br />) +
dry +  and fleshy +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (7.3 cm73 mm <br />0.073 m <br />) +
scabridulous +
Introduced +
silvery-green +
1 +  and 60 +
compressed +
0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br /> (0.26 cm2.6 mm <br />0.0026 m <br />) +
1 +  and 3 +
simple +  and compound +
2 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
Gramineae +
Aira caryophyllea var. cupaniana +
Aira caryophyllea +
variety +
membranous +
0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
parallel +  and converging +
stoloniferous +  and rhizomatous +
aquatic +  and terrestrial +