| 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, 1(–6)
Leaves basal to cauline; ligules membranous to translucent; blades flat
Inflorescence panicle-like, open
Spikelets erect to pendent, ± compressed, subconic to ovoid; glumes subequal, papery, rounded at tip, 3–9-veined; florets 6–20, breaking above glumes and between florets; lemma width > length, papery to translucent, rounded at tip, 7–9-veined; palea ± = lemma
Species in genus: 10–12 species: Eur, n Africa
Etymology: (Greek: a kind of grain)
| Introduced |
Annual
Stems 1–4, 3–60 cm
Leaf: ligule 1–4 mm; blade 1–7 mm wide
Inflorescence 2–10 cm
Spikelets 1–14 per inflorescence, 10–19 mm, pendent, ovoid, obtuse at base; glumes 4–7 mm, 5–9-veined; florets 12–19; lemmas 6–8 mm
Chromosomes: 2n=14
Ecology: Shaded sites
Elevation: 20–800 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Outer North Coast Ranges, n Sierra Nevada Foothills, n Central Coast, n&c Outer South Coast Ranges, n South Coast
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia; native to s Europe
Cult for ornamental.