TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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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
Stems erect, ± solid in X -section
Leaves generally basal, gray-green; sheath compressed, keeled; ligule membranous, long tapered, entire; blade flat to folded
Inflorescence panicle-like; branches short, ± appressed, dense
Spikelets stalked, paired; pair with subtending axis segment falling as 1 unit; lower spikelet staminate or sterile, upper bisexual; glumes unequal, < lemma, 23-veined, awned; floret 1; lemma firm, long-tapered, awned; palea ± = lemma
Species in genus: 3 species: sw US, Mex, South America
Etymology: (Greek: wolf tail, from inflorescence shape)
Reference: [Reeder 1985 Phytologia 57: 283291]