| 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. |
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
Stem generally erect; internode solid to hollow inside
Leaves generally cauline; ligule hairy
Inflorescence generally panicle-like, open; branches spreading to ascending; spikelets subsessile to stalked
Spikelet falling as 1 unit; glumes strongly unequal, lower << upper, upper glume silky-hairy; florets 2, lower floret sterile or staminate, lemma ± = upper glume, upper floret fertile, lemma membranous to thick, firm, smooth, ± white in fruit, margin flat, tip blunt, palea ± = lemma
Species in genus: ± 15 species: warm temp, subtropical, se Asia, Africa
Etymology: (Latin: beaked scale, from beaked upper glume in some species)
| Introduced |
Perennial, sometimes cespitose
Stem decumbent to erect, 3–10 dm; nodes 4–5
Leaf: sheath 3–9 cm, glabrous; ligule hairs 0.5–1.5 mm; blade 3–20 cm, 3–6 mm wide, upper surface glabrous
Inflorescence 8–17 cm; 1° branches 2.5–6 cm, glabrous to puberulent; spikelet stalk 0.5–5 mm, ± wiry
Spikelet ± 3–5.5 mm, ± 1–2 mm wide, ovate to elliptic; lower glume < 1.5 mm, 0–1-veined, upper glume ± = spikelet, silky hairs white to purplish; lower floret staminate, lemma ± like upper glume, 5-veined, tip minutely lobed, palea ± = lemma; upper floret ± 2/3 length lower floret, lemma firm, ± white, shiny
Ecology: Disturbed places, fields, slopes
Elevation: < 300 m.
Bioregional distribution: Outer North Coast Ranges, San Joaquin Valley, s Central Coast, Outer South Coast Ranges, South Coast
Distribution outside California: to s US; native to S.Africa
Synonyms: Tricholaena rosea Nees
Used for soil stabilization.