| 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]
| Native |
Annual
Stem ascending to erect, 1–6.5 dm; axis below nodes rarely glandular
Leaf: sheath glabrous, margin sparsely hairy near collar, not glandular; ligule < 0.5 mm; blade 2–20 cm, 1–3.5 mm wide, flat to ± inrolled
Inflorescence 4–20 cm, < 15 cm wide, ± open; lower 1–2 nodes with whorled branches; primary branches slender, spreading or ascending, rarely reflexed; spikelet stalks appressed to spreading
Spikelet 3.5–10 mm, 1–2 mm wide; lower glume 0.5–1 mm, generally < 1/2 lowest lemma length, upper slightly > lower; axis not breaking apart, paleas deciduous; florets 5–16; lemma ± 1.5 mm, gray-green with purple or reddish tip, lateral veins obscure
Fruit 0.5–0.9 mm, light to dark brown, ovoid, smooth
Chromosomes: 2n=40
Ecology: Disturbed sandy soils
Elevation: < 200 m.
Bioregional distribution: Klamath Ranges, Great Central Valley, Modoc Plateau
Distribution outside California: generally e US to Texas, Caribbean, Mexico