| 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.
Annual, perennial herb
Stems ascending to erect
Leaves ± basal, fragrant; appendages < 1 mm, rounded (sometimes obscure); ligule membranous; blade flat
Inflorescence generally panicle-like
Spikelets subsessile, laterally compressed; glumes > florets, lower glume 1/2 length upper, tip acute, lower 1-veined, upper 3-veined; florets 3, lower 2 sterile, on opposite sides of upper, fertile floret, lower and upper florets breaking above glumes, falling as 1 unit; lemma of lower florets > upper floret, awned at or below middle, tip 2-forked or lobed, hairy, 3-veined, lemma of upper floret awnless, tip rounded, ± glabrous, faintly 5–7-veined; palea 0 in lower florets, present and < lemma in fertile floret, 1-veined
Species in genus: 18–20 species: Eur, w Asia, montane n Africa
Etymology: (Greek: yellow flower)
| Introduced |
Stems 3–6 dm
Leaves: upper sheaths 4.5–9 cm; ligules 1–3 mm; upper blades 3–6 cm, slightly ciliate and soft-hairy at base
Inflorescence 2–8 cm, 5–15 mm wide
Spikelets 7–9 mm; lemma hairs ± soft, hairs at lemma base colorless
Chromosomes: 2n=10,20,28
Ecology: Disturbed sites
Elevation: < 1100 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Outer North Coast Ranges, Inner North Coast Ranges, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, n&c Sierra Nevada
Distribution outside California: widespread US, temperate; native to Europe