TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) previous taxon | next taxon
Jepson Interchange (more information)
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora.

    THIS PAGE IS NO LONGER UPDATED
    AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY
  • Up-to-date information about California vascular plants is available from the Jepson eFlora.

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.

ELYTRIGIA

James K. Jarvie and Mary E. Barkworth

Perennial, generally from rhizomes
Stems erect, sometimes tufted
Leaf: sheath appendaged; ligule membranous; blade flat or rolled
Inflorescence spike-like; axis generally not breaking apart in fruit; spikelets 2-ranked, strongly overlapping, ± appressed to axis, 1 per node
Spikelet: glumes thick, midvein generally prominent and scabrous at least above middle, tip truncate, obtuse, acute or short-awned; axis breaking above glumes and between florets; lemma generally awnless
Species in genus: 25 species: Medit Eur, Asia
Etymology: (Greek: from combination of Elymus and Triticum )
Reference: [Jarvie 1990 PhD dissertation UT State Univ]
Some species cultivated for forage, erosion control; some serious weeds. See Agropyron, Elymus, Pseudoroegneria.

Introduced

E. intermedia (Host) Nevski subsp. intermedia

INTERMEDIATE WHEATGRASS


Stem 5–11.5 dm
Leaf: sheath glabrous or ciliate; blade 2–8 mm wide; veins many, weakly ribbed
Inflorescence 8–21 cm
Spikelet 11–18 mm; glume tips truncate to obtuse; florets 3–10; lemmas 7.5–10 mm, generally glabrous, sometimes rough-hairy, awn generally 0; anthers 5–7 mm
Chromosomes: 2n=42
Ecology: Open areas, slopes
Elevation: < 2100 m.
Bioregional distribution: Klamath Ranges, Inner North Coast Ranges (Yolo Co.), Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Western Transverse Ranges, San Bernardino Mountains, Desert Mountains
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, Great Plains; native to Eurasia
Synonyms: Agropyron i. (Host) P. Beauv
Plants with hairy leaf blades, rough-hairy lemmas have been called subsp. barbulata (Schur) Á. Löve. [ Agropyron trichophorum (Link) K. Richt.]

previous taxon | next taxon
bioregional map for ELYTRIGIA%20intermedia%20subsp.%20intermedia being generated
 


Retrieve Jepson Interchange Index to Plant Names entry for Elytrigia intermedia subsp. intermedia
Retrieve dichotomous key for Elytrigia
Return to treatment index page
Glossary
University & Jepson Herbaria Home Page | Copyright © by the Regents of the University of California