| 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.
Perennial; rhizomes thick
Stem erect, cane-like
Leaves cauline; sheaths > internodes, glabrous; ligule thinly membranous, fringed; blade flat or folded, glabrous, margin scabrous
Inflorescence panicle-like, dense, silvery to purplish
Spikelet laterally compressed; glumes > florets, 3–5-veined; axis glabrous; florets 4–5, breaking above glumes and between florets; lemmas 3–7-veined, hairy, awn ± 0; palea < lemma
Species in genus: 3 species: warm temp, tropical
Etymology: (Latin: a reed grass)
| Introduced |
Stem < 8 m; nodes glabrous; internodes < 4 cm thick
Leaf: blade < 1 m, 2–6 cm wide
Inflorescence 3–6 dm, plume-like; branches ascending
Spikelets 10–14 mm; glumes 10–13 mm, thin, brownish or purplish; lemmas 8–12 mm, tip 2-toothed, hairs < 8 mm, silky; palea 3–5 mm, hairy at base; anthers 2.5–3 mm
Chromosomes: 2n=110
Ecology: Moist places, seeps, ditchbanks
Elevation: < 500 m.
Bioregional distribution: c Sierra Nevada Foothills, Central Coast, South Coast, San Gabriel Mountains, Desert
Distribution outside California: native to Europe
Flowering time: Mar–Sep