| 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) 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 or perennial herb, generally tufted, sometimes from rhizomes or stolons
Stems generally erect
Leaf: sheath generally smooth, glabrous; ligule membranous; blade flat to rolled
Inflorescence panicle-like, densely cylindric to openly ovate
Spikelet: glumes generally subequal, back generally glabrous, vein generally finely scabrous, 1-veined, generally acute; floret 1, < glumes, generally breaking above glumes; callus glabrous to densely hairy; lemma generally 5-veined, veins not converging, sometimes extended as short teeth, awned from back or not; palea 0 to ± = lemma, translucent; anthers generally 3
Species in genus: ± 200 species: especially temp Am, Eurasia
Etymology: (Greek: pasture)
Reference: [Carlbom 1967 PhD OR State Univ]
Some cultivated in pastures, lawns.
| Native |
Perennial 8–30 cm
Leaves: ligule 1–3 mm; lower blades 1–5 cm, 0.5–2 mm wide, flat, often inrolled with age
Inflorescence 3–13 cm, lanceolate to ovate in outline, ± open; 1° branches generally ascending, lower 1–4 cm, axes thread-like
Spikelet: glumes 1.5–2.5 mm; callus glabrous or hairs < 0.3 mm; lemma 1–2 mm, awn 0; palea minute, << lemma; anthers 0.3–0.5 mm
Ecology: Common. Open, wet meadows, coniferous forest
Elevation: < 3500 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, n San Francisco Bay Area, San Bernardino Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains, White and Inyo Mountains
Distribution outside California: to Alaska, Montana, New Mexico
Flowering time: Jul–Aug
Synonyms: A. tenuis Vasey