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.

CALAMAGROSTIS

REED GRASS

Craig W. Greene

Perennial, generally from rhizomes
Stems 1–15 dm, generally not branched, ± smooth; nodes generally 2–4
Leaves generally basal and cauline; sheath smooth or scabrous; ligule membranous; blade flat to inrolled
Inflorescence panicle-like, open to dense; branches ± drooping to appressed; spikelets ascending to appressed
Spikelet: glumes subequal, generally lanceolate, acute to acuminate, lower generally 1-veined, upper 3-veined; floret 1, breaking above glumes; axis prolonged beyond floret, hairy; callus hairy; lemma < glumes, awned from below middle to near base, tip generally 4-toothed, veins 3–5, awn straight to twisted, bent; palea ± = lemma, thin
Species in genus: ± 100 species: cool temp (especially moist montane); some forage value
Etymology: (Greek: reed grass)
Reference: [Greene 1980 Ph.D. Thesis Harvard University]
Hybridization, polyploidy, and asexual seed set contribute to taxonomic difficulty.

Native

C. koelerioides Vasey

Stems 6–10+ dm, generally tufted; nodes 3–5
Leaf: sheath ± scabrous; ligule 3–7 mm; blade 3–7 mm wide, flat or inrolled
Inflorescence 5–16 cm, generally dense; branches generally < 3 cm, appressed
Spikelet: glumes 4–6 mm, scabrous especially on keel; axis ± 1 mm, hairs 1–2 mm; callus hairs < 2 mm, sparse, tufted; lemma 3.5–5 mm, awned near base; awn = lemma or extending beyond glume tips, stiff, twisted, bent
Chromosomes: 2n=28
Ecology: Meadows, slopes, dry hills, ridges
Elevation: < 2300 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, Central Western California, Peninsular Ranges
Distribution outside California: to Idaho, Wyoming
Synonyms: C. densa Vasey, dense reed grass
Larger plants like C. nutkaensis
Horticultural information: DRN, SUN: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.