Vulpia myuros

Mice Tail Feathers fescue ( Vulpia myuros ) ( herbarium )

The mouse tail - spring fescue ( Vulpia myuros ), also referred to as mice or mice fescue - feather - fox fescue, is a very scattered in Central Europe occurring member of the grasses ( Poaceae ).

Appearance

The annual herbaceous plant growing in dense clusters and reaches a height of 10 to 40 cm. The stem grows erect or ascending knickig and is up top covered with the leaf sheaths. The uppermost leaf sheaths often act as inflated. The whole plant is pale to bluish green color. However, it is straw- yellow in a short time. The leaf blade are usually hairy borstlich and act rigid. They are rarely flat. They reach a length of approximately 20 to 70 mm and are about 1 to 2 mm wide.

The spikelets are in a einseitswendigen about 10 to 20 cm long and usually only 5 to 10 mm wide panicle. This is often as long as the Traghalm and in the upper part usually arched, overhanging. In the lower part it is often enveloped by the uppermost leaf sheath.

The spikelets are 8-11 mm long and have four or five, 10 to 15 mm long awns. They are of long oval shape, light green and brownish soon. They are usually four to fünfblütig. The fertilization usually happens within the unopened flower ( cleistogamy ). The glumes are short.

Vulpia myuros predominantly flowers in the months of May to July.

Habitat requirements and distribution

The mouse tail - spring fescue grows along roadsides and rubbish sites on railway land and field margins. Through procrastination with sheep's wool, it grows often on poor sheep pastures. He prefers dry, acidic, lime and humus- poor sand and gravel soils.

Vulpia myuros is a Mediterranean - sub-Mediterranean Florenelement. Its distribution extends from West over Central and Southern Europe to Western Asia. But It is also found in Africa, the Americas and Australia.

In Germany the species is often found only in western and parts of eastern Germany. Frequently, however, it occurs only very fickle. In Austria the mouse tail - spring fescue is very rare in the eastern states and is highly endangered. In Switzerland, you can find him in the colline layers generally absent-minded.