| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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Jepson Interchange (more information) |
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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.
Perennial, cespitose
Stems erect
Leaves generally basal and cauline; sheaths < internodes; ligule short, densely ciliate; blades narrow, flat to folded
Inflorescence generally raceme-like (sometimes panicle-like or spikelet 1)
Spikelets ± laterally compressed; glumes ± equal, > florets, papery, 1–5-veined; florets 3–8, breaking above glumes and between florets; callus short-hairy; lemma rounded, 7–9-veined, tip 2-toothed, awned on back below teeth; awn generally bent, flat, coiled below bend, straight, ± cylindric above bend, palea = lemma
Fruit elliptic
Species in genus: 20 species: warm temp, tropical, Am, Eur, s Africa
Etymology: (E. Danthoine, France, early 19th century)
Variation, especially in D. californica, D. unispicata , complex, needs critical study.
| Native |
Stem 1–10 dm
Leaves basal and cauline, glabrous to densely hairy; upper blades 8–25 cm, flat, spreading to reflexed
Inflorescence 2–6 cm, open
Spikelets 1–5; stalk generally spreading, puberulent; glumes 10–23 mm; florets 3–8; lemma 8–15 mm, base, lower margin hairy, back ± glabrous; teeth 2–5 mm, awn 4–12 mm
Chromosomes: 2n=36
Ecology: Generally moist, open sites, meadows, forests
Elevation: < 2200 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Central Western California, San Bernardino Mountains, s Peninsular Ranges, Modoc Plateau
Distribution outside California: w Canada, w US, S.America (Chile)