| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
previous taxon |
next taxon
Jepson Interchange (more information) |
|
|
©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, generally with rhizomes
Stem erect, unbranched
Leaves basal and cauline; sheath open, > internodes, glabrous, margin of sheath opening sometimes with long, shaggy hairs; ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.5–2 mm; blade flat to inrolled, long tapered, upper surface ridged
Inflorescence panicle-like; each spike-like branch with 2 rows of overlapping spikelets on lower side of axis
Spikelet laterally compressed, sessile, breaking below glumes, falling as 1 unit; glumes firmly membranous, obtuse to acuminate or with a small, sharp point, unequal, upper 1–3(5)-veined, generally > floret, lower 1-veined, < floret; floret 1; lemma 1(3)-veined, acute, awned or not, firmly membranous; palea ± = lemma, 2-veined
Species in genus: 15 species: Am, Eur, Africa
Etymology: (Greek: a cord)
Reference: [Spicher & Josselyn 1985 Madroño 32:158–167]
| Introduced |
Rhizome generally 0 (if present, short, stout, < 10 mm wide)
Stem cespitose, 2.7–15 dm, 3–6 mm wide at base, slender; internodes firm
Leaf: blade 12–43 cm, 4–8 mm wide at base, generally inrolled when fresh, ridges on upper surface ± 2 per mm
Inflorescence 6–30 cm, 4–12 mm wide, compact; branches 2–20, overlapping, appressed, 1–11 cm, 2.5–6 mm wide
Spikelet 8–14 mm; glume and lemma keels with short, sharp bristles, at least near tip; lower glume 4–7 mm; upper glume 8–14 mm; lemma 7–9 mm
Ecology: Coastal salt marshes
Elevation: < 10 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Central Coast
Distribution outside California: native to s S.America