| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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Jepson Interchange (more information) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
Annual to bamboo-like; roots generally fibrous
Stem generally round, hollow; nodes swollen, solid
Leaves alternate, 2-ranked, generally linear; sheath generally open; ligule membranous or hairy, at blade base
Inflorescence various (of generally many spikelets)
Spikelet: glumes generally 2; florets (lemma, palea, flower) 1–many; lemma generally membranous, sometimes glume-like; palea generally ± transparent, ± enclosed by lemma
Flower generally bisexual, minute; stamens generally 3; stigmas generally 2, generally plumose
Fruit: achene-like grain
Genera in family: 650–900 genera; ± 10,000 species: worldwide; greatest economic importance of any family (wheat, rice, maize, millet, sorghum, sugar cane, forage crops, ornamental, weeds; thatching, weaving, building materials)
Reference: [Hitchcock 1951 Manual grasses US, USDA Misc Publ 200; Clayton & Renvoise 1986 Kew Bull Add Series 13]
See Glossary p. 26 for illustrations of general family characteristics. Generally wind-pollinated.
Annual, perennial herb, cespitose or from stolons
Stem decumbent to erect, 1–8 dm; nodes visible, brown
Leaves: ligule 1–6 mm, membranous, truncate to acute, generally scabrous; blade flat, glabrous or scabrous
Inflorescence panicle-like, generally cylindric, dense; branches short
Spikelet ± compressed, breaking below glumes, falling as 1 unit; glumes ± equal, generally = spikelet, membranous, generally keeled, keel and lateral veins generally stiff- or appressed-hairy, margins free or fused near base, tip obtuse, acute, or short-awned, 3-veined; floret 1; lemma membranous, margins keeled, sometimes fused near base, truncate to acute, 3–5-veined, awned on back below middle, awn straight or abruptly bent generally at lemma tip; palea generally 0; anthers 0.5–4 mm
Fruit glabrous
Species in genus: ± 35 species: temp North America, Eurasia
Etymology: (Greek: fox tail)
Reference: [Rubtzoff 1961 Leafl West Bot 9:165–180]
| Native |
Annual
Stem 0.6–4.5 dm
Leaf: ligule 3–4.5 mm; blade 1–8 cm, 1–3 mm wide
Inflorescence 1–7 cm, 4–6 mm wide
Spikelet: glumes 2–3 mm; lemma awn bent, exceeding lemma body by 1.5–3.5 mm; anthers 0.5–1 mm
Chromosomes: 2n=14
Ecology: Uncommon. Vernal pools, open, disturbed ground
Elevation: 50–1400 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, Great Central Valley, Southwestern California
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, e N.America
Occurs in natural habitats in s SCo, weedy elsewhere.