Parapholis incurva (L.) C.E. Hubb   =Pholiurus incurvus   Poaceae (Grass Family)   Europe   Sickle Grass   European Sickle Grass

                              April Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Low annual with slender cylindric spikes; tufted, decumbent below, 1-2 dm. high; sheath 1-4 cm., margin of upper expanded, enclosing lower 1-4 spikelets; blades 1-10 cm., 1-3 mm. wide, generally inrolled; spike 2-15 cm. long, curved, generally twisted, spikelets 3-20 fld., embedded in the cylindric articulate rachis and falling attached to the joints; glumes 2, placed in front of the acuminate spikelet, 7mm. long, and enclosing it; glume coriaceous, 5 nerved, pointed.

Habitat:  Coastal Salt Marsh, Coastal Strand; San Diego to Ore., e. Coast.  April-June.

Name:  Greek, para, beside, and pholis, scale, because of the 2 glumes side by side.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 987).  Latin, incurvus, curved.  (Jaeger 297).  The species name is probably because of the curved spike.

General:  Occasional in the study area.  Photographed easterly of the Delhi Ditch.  (my comments).      Glumes appear like halves of a single split glume.  The seed imbedded in a section of the rachis appears to be a short stem section.  (Robbins et al. 100).      Introduced species often invade native communities following disturbance, and some become part of that community even when disturbance is peripheral.  Two European grasses, Parapholis incurva and Polypogon monspeliensis, are sometimes abundant in upper marsh habitats.  (Zedler 38).      About 4 species of temperate parts of Old World.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 987).

Text Ref:  Hickman, Ed. 1278; Munz, Calif. Flora 1510; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 987; Pohl 110; Roberts 47.

Photo Ref:  March 5-April 1 85 # 22,23.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by F. Roberts.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 52.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 4/20/03.

                                              April Photo