TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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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) 1many; 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: 650900 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, some ± dioecious
Stem 0.312 dm
Leaf: sheath open to closed (best observed on upper stem leaf); ligule thin, flexible; blade grooved above on both sides of midvein, flat, folded, or inrolled, generally smooth or scabrous on veins, generally prow-tipped
Inflorescence panicle-like; branches appressed to drooping
Spikelet generally compressed, breaking between florets; glumes 2, similar, generally < lowest lemma, awnless; florets generally 26; callus indistinct, often with obvious tuft of long cobwebby hairs; lemma generally keeled to base, of same texture as glumes, awnless, veins generally 5, ± converging near tip; palea well developed, keels generally scabrous; fertile anthers 0.24.5 mm; ovary glabrous
Species in genus: ± 500 species: temp and cool regions
Etymology: (Greek: ancient name)
Reference: [Soreng 1991 Syst Bot 16:507528]
CA is center of diversity in North America. Spikelet features best observed on lowest florets of spikelet.
Introduced |
Perennial, short-lived, cespitose or with short stolons from a dense basal tuft, 310 dm
Leaf: sheath open generally 3/4, scabrous; ligule 37 mm, acute, scabrous; blade 15 mm wide, soft, generally flat, barely prow-tipped
Inflorescence 825 cm, open, lanceolate to ovate; branches ascending to spreading, densely scabrous, many-flowered from lower 1/2
Spikelet: lower glume 1-veined, ± sickle-shaped; callus sparsely long-cobwebby; lemma ± 23 mm, keel (rarely marginal veins) hairy near base
Flower: anthers 1.42 mm
Chromosomes: 2n=14
Ecology: Disturbed moist places
Elevation: 0700 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Outer North Coast Ranges, probably elsewhere
Distribution outside California: to Alaska, e N.America; native to Europe
Fls spring and early summer.