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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
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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.

ERAGROSTIS

LOVEGRASS

John R. Reeder

Annual, perennial herb, often glandular; glands often wart-like, circular, pitted
Leaf: sheath margin hairy on sides just below collar; ligules ciliate
Inflorescence generally panicle-like, open or dense, sometimes spike-like, often glandular
Spikelet laterally compressed; glumes ± unequal, acute or acuminate, 1(3)-veined; florets 3–many, axis breaking above glumes and between florets (or persistent with glumes and lemmas deciduous, paleas remaining attached or not); lemma keeled or rounded, acute or obtuse, 3-veined, veins generally obvious; palea ± = lemma
Fruit lens-shaped or elliptic, sometimes grooved, generally red-brown
Species in genus: ± 300 species: tropical, warm temp
Etymology: (Greek: eros, love, agrostis, a kind of grass)
Reference: [Koch 1974 Ill Biol Monogr 48:1–74]

Introduced

E. minor Host

Annual
Stems erect, becoming prostrate, often branching at base, < 6 dm
Leaf generally glabrous; sheath long-soft-hairy near collar; blades like E. cilianensis
Inflorescence generally 3.5–15 cm, 2.5–6 cm wide, generally gray-green; spikelet stalk with 1 or 2 glands near middle
Spikelet ± 2 mm wide, linear to ovate; glumes not glandular; axis not breaking apart, paleas persistent; florets 8–12; lemma not glandular
Fruit ± 0.5 mm, subspheric to elliptic
Chromosomes: 2n=40
Ecology: Disturbed soils
Elevation: < 1400 m.
Bioregional distribution: Outer North Coast Ranges, n&c Sierra Nevada Foothills, Great Central Valley, South Coast, Modoc Plateau, Mojave Desert
Distribution outside California: e US, native to Europe
Flowering time: Jun–Sep
Synonyms: E. poaeoides Roem. & Schult

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