| 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, often glandular; glands often wart-like, circular, pitted
Leaf: sheath margin hairy on sides just below collar; ligules ciliate
Inflorescence generally panicle-like, open or dense, sometimes spike-like, often glandular
Spikelet laterally compressed; glumes ± unequal, acute or acuminate, 1(3)-veined; florets 3–many, axis breaking above glumes and between florets (or persistent with glumes and lemmas deciduous, paleas remaining attached or not); lemma keeled or rounded, acute or obtuse, 3-veined, veins generally obvious; palea ± = lemma
Fruit lens-shaped or elliptic, sometimes grooved, generally red-brown
Species in genus: ± 300 species: tropical, warm temp
Etymology: (Greek: eros, love, agrostis, a kind of grass)
Reference: [Koch 1974 Ill Biol Monogr 48:1–74]
| Introduced |
Perennial
Stem erect, densely tufted, unbranched, 4–12 dm, glabrous
Leaf: sheaths < internodes, glabrous or hairy, generally with long hairs on collar and inside upper sheath margin; ligule ± 1 mm; blade (1)2–3(5) dm, inrolled, long-tapered, distally thread-like, scabrous
Inflorescence < 35 cm, 15 cm wide, open, generally nodding; branches flexible; lower axils long-hairy; spikelets short-stalked
Spikelet 5–8 mm, generally gray-green; glumes acute, 1-veined, lower 1.5–2 mm, upper 2.5–3 mm; axis breaking apart tardily; lemmas obtuse to ± acute, 3-veined, lemma of lowest floret 2–3 mm; anthers 1–1.5 mm, purple
Fruit ± 1.5 mm, ± ovoid or oblong, light brown; embryo ± 1/2 fruit length, dark brown to ± black
Chromosomes: 2n=20,40,50,60
Ecology: Roadsides, near gardens
Elevation: < 500 m.
Bioregional distribution: Cascade Range Foothills, Great Central Valley, Outer South Coast Ranges, San Bernardino Mountains, Peninsular Ranges, Mojave Desert
Distribution outside California: to s US; native to s Africa
Flowering time: Aug–Oct
Orn, cultivated for erosion control.