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) 1many; 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: 650900 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; rhizomes, corms generally 0
Stems generally erect, generally densely clumped
Leaves ± basal; sheath closed to near top, glabrous to short-hairy; ligule thin, membranous, tip obtuse to truncate, generally jagged; blade generally 25 mm wide, flat, veins inconspicuous
Inflorescence raceme- or panicle-like, generally narrow
Spikelet: glumes papery, back rounded, tip rounded, translucent, lower glume 35-veined, upper 13-veined; axis generally breaking above glumes; lower florets fertile, 17, uppermost florets sterile, ± densely clustered at axis tip; lemma ± like glumes, prominently 57-veined, veins not converging, base ± red; palea < lemma
Species in genus: ± 80 species: generally temp, except Australia
Etymology: (Latin: honey, or old Italian name for plant with sweet sap)
Reference: [Boyle 1945 Madroño 8:126]
Native |
Rhizomes short to long; corms 0
Stem 420 dm, generally branching at basal nodes
Leaf: blade 59 cm, 24 mm wide
Inflorescence 1240 cm, narrow
Spikelet 1218 mm; lower glume 712 mm, upper 915 mm, translucent margin 12 mm wide; fertile florets 36, sterile cluster tapered, concealed by uppermost fertile floret; lemma 811 mm, acute; palea 1/23/4 lemma length
Chromosomes: n=9
Ecology: Dry slopes, chaparral, woodland
Elevation: 3001500 m.
Bioregional distribution: s Inner South Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, Desert
Distribution outside California: Arizona, Baja California
Flowering time: MarMay
Horticultural information: TRY.