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.

PHALARIS

Dennis Anderson

Annual, perennial herb, cespitose or from rhizomes
Stem generally erect, 2–20 dm
Leaf: sheath open; ligule membranous, truncate; blade generally 2–5 dm, 1–2 cm wide, flat
Inflorescence panicle-like, generally cylindric to ovoid, dense; branches ascending to appressed, obscure
Spikelet generally fertile, sometimes also sterile in P. paradoxa, compressed; glumes equal, > florets, sometimes with wing-like keel, 3–5-veined; axis generally breaking above glumes, generally falling as 1 unit; florets 2–3, lower 1–2 vestigial or 0, upper 1 fertile; upper floret lemma generally ovoid, glabrous or appressed-hairy, shiny, faintly 5-veined, awn 0; palea < lemma, translucent
Fruit ± fusiform
Species in genus: ± 15 species: temp North America, Eurasia
Etymology: (Greek: ancient name for grass with shiny spikelets)

Native

P. californica Hook. & Arn.

Perennial, cespitose
Stem 5–15 dm
Inflorescence 1.5–5 cm, 1–3 cm wide, widely ovoid; base ± truncate
Spikelet: glumes 5–8 mm, 1–1.5 mm wide, generally glabrous, narrowly wing-like at tip or not, tip acute, purplish; lower florets 2, 2–3.5 mm, awl-like, densely hairy; upper lemma 3.5–5 mm, 1–1.5 mm wide, lanceolate, sparsely hairy
Fruit ± 2.5 mm, ± 1 mm wide
Chromosomes: 2n=28
Ecology: Uncommon. Moist areas, meadows, woodlands
Elevation: < 700 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Outer North Coast Ranges, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, Outer South Coast Ranges
Distribution outside California: s Oregon
Horticultural information: IRR: 4, 5, 6, 17 &SHD: 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.