POACEAE

GRASS FAMILY

James P. Smith, Jr., except as specified

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.

PSEUDOROEGNERIA

Mary E. Barkworth

Perennial, cespitose or from rhizomes
Stem erect
Leaves basal and cauline; ligule membranous; uppermost blade generally widely spreading
Inflorescence spike-like; spikelets ± 2-ranked, 1 per node, each spikelet partly overlapping spikelet on opposite side of axis, not overlapping spikelets on same side but not adjacent
Spikelet: glumes < or = lower floret, lanceolate, stiffly membranous, acute to obtuse, awn 0; axis breaking above glumes and between florets; lemma awn terminal, strongly spreading or 0; anthers 4–8 mm
Species in genus: 19 species: arid temp Eurasia, North America
Etymology: (Greek: false roegneria, earlier name for Elymus )
Reference: [Carlson 1986 MS Thesis, OR State Univ]
Segregated from Agropyron.

Native

P. spicata (Pursh) Á. Löve subsp. spicata

Stem 6–10 dm, slender, green or glaucous
Leaf: blade 1–4 mm wide, flat to loosely rolled
Inflorescence 8–16 cm, narrow; middle internodes 0.8–2.5 cm
Spikelet: glumes 6–13 mm, 0.9–2.2 mm wide, ± 1/2 spikelet length, veins evenly glabrous or scabrous; florets 6–8; lemmas 9–14 mm, awned or not
Ecology: Sagebrush steppe, open woodland
Elevation: 800–1650 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, n&c Sierra Nevada, Modoc Plateau
Distribution outside California: to s Canada, Colorado
Synonyms: Agropyron s. (Pursh) Scribner & J.G. Sm
Other subsp. in nw US
Horticultural information: DRN, SUN: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17 &IRR: 8, 9, 10, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.