| 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 to perennial herb
Leaves basal and cauline; sheath closed, generally hairy; ligule generally < 5 mm, membranous, entire to fringed; blade flat to inrolled
Inflorescence generally panicle-like, open to dense; spikelet stalk generally stiff, rigid
Spikelet strongly compressed to cylindric; axis breaking above glumes and between florets; glumes unequal, generally < lower floret, lower generally 1–3-veined, upper 3–7-veined, back rounded to keeled, tip acute; lemmas faintly 5–9-veined, tip generally 2-toothed, short-pointed to straight-awned from between teeth; palea generally < lemma
Species in genus: ± 150 species: temp worldwide
Etymology: (Greek: ancient name)
Reference: [Stebbins 1947 Contr Gray Herb 165:42–55; Wagnon 1952 Brittonia 7:415–480]
Native species need careful study.
| Native |
Perennial 30–90 cm, often tufted
Leaf glabrous to soft-hairy; blade 1.5–5 mm wide
Inflorescence 6–20 cm, open, generally nodding
Spikelet ± compressed; glumes rounded, generally puberulent, lower 5–8 mm, 1–3-veined, upper 6–11 mm, 3-veined; florets 6–11; lemma body 7–13 mm, back rounded, 5–7-veined, puberulent to densely short-hairy, tip rounded to minutely lobed, awn 1–3.5 mm
Chromosomes: 2n=14
Ecology: Uncommon. Dry, open places, slopes, coniferous forest
Elevation: 3000–3500 m.
Bioregional distribution: White and Inyo Mountains (reported from n High Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains)
Distribution outside California: to w Canada, Texas, Mexico
Flowering time: Jul–Aug
Synonyms: B. porteri (J.M. Coult.) Nash
CA plants need study.