Vulpia microstachys var. microstachys
Vulpia microstachys var. pauciflora

General:
Annual, loosely tufted grass from fibrous roots; stems sometimes solitary, erect (sometimes bent or angled at the lower nodes), (5) 15-35 (40) cm tall.

Leaves:
Sheaths smooth or short-hairy; blades in-rolled or sometimes flat, smooth or short-hairy, to 1 mm wide; ligules 0.2-0.5 (1) mm long.

Flowers:
Inflorescence an open panicle (sometimes reduced to a raceme), the lower branches (and spikelet stalks) spreading or directed backward, (3) 5-11 (14) cm long, the base with callus-like swellings in the axils at maturity; spikelets 4-9 mm long (excluding awns), (1-) 2- to 6- (7-) flowered, the florets loosely overlapping; glumes smooth or short-hairy, the lower glumes 1-nerved, (1.7) 3-6 mm long, the upper glumes 3-nerved, (3.5) 5-8 mm long; lemmas smooth or short-hairy, lanceolate, (3.5) 4.5-7.5 (8) mm long, the terminal awns (3) 6-13 (20) mm long; rachilla internodes about 1 mm long; anthers 1 (rarely 2 or 3), 0.3-3 (3.5) mm long.

Notes:
Several dubious varieties are sometimes recognized based on the presence and distribution of hairs.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Vulpia microstachys var. pauciflora (Scribn. ex Beal) Lonard & Gould