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.

GLYCERIA

MANNAGRASS

Mary E. Barkworth

Perennial from rhizomes
Stem: base decumbent, erect above, generally rooting at lower nodes
Leaf: sheath closed to near top; ligule thin, membranous, acute; blade flat or folded, only midrib prominent
Inflorescence panicle-like, 15–50 cm, nodding
Spikelet: glumes < lowest floret, margin translucent, 1-veined; axis breaking above glumes and between florets; florets 8–15; lemma strongly 5–11-veined, veins not converging, ending short of tip, tip margin translucent; palea ± = lemma, keels prominent, ± curved
Species in genus: ± 40 species: temp worldwide
Etymology: (Greek: sweet, from taste of grain)
Reference: [Church 1949 Amer J Bot 36:155–165]
See also Catabrosa, Torreyochloa, Puccinellia
Horticultural information: STBL.

Native

G. grandis S. Watson

AMERICAN MANNAGRASS

Stem 9–20 dm, 3–6 mm diam
Leaf: ligule 2–7 mm; blade 4–15 mm wide, moderately thick
Inflorescence 16–40 cm; branches spreading
Spikelet 4–6.5 mm, ovoid; lower glume 1–1.8 mm, upper 1.5–2.5 mm; florets 4–7; lemma 2–2.8 mm, widest at middle or below; palea tip irregular or widely V-notched
Chromosomes: n=10
Ecology: Wet places, meadows, lake and stream margins
Elevation: < 500 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, North Coast Ranges
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, eastern US