| 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) 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.
Species in genus: 1 sp
Etymology: (Jason Swallen, American agrostologist, 1903–)
Reference: [Henry 1979 Fremontia 7(2):3–6]
| Native |
Perennial, tufted, from thick, scaly rhizomes; nodes ± woolly
Stems ascending to erect, branching, 1.5–3.5 dm, stiff, ridged, generally glabrous
Leaves generally cauline; sheath margins with soft-shaggy hairs near collar; ligule ± 1 mm, densely hairy; blade 5–14 cm, 3–6 mm wide, stiff, sharp-pointed, strongly veined
Inflorescence panicle-like, 4–10 cm; branches spike-like, short, appressed; axis hairy
Spikelet < 1.5 cm, persistent; glumes 9–14 mm, ± equal, > florets, wide, glabrous, 7–11-veined, awn 0; florets 3–7; lemma 7–9 mm, back rounded, lower margin with soft-shaggy hairs, 5–7-veined, awn 0; palea ± = lemma, margin hairs like lemma
Fruit 4 mm, 2 mm wide, falling from floret
Chromosomes: 2n=20
Ecology: ; Sand dunes
Elevation: 900–1200 m.
Bioregional distribution: Mojave Desert (Eureka Valley, ne Inyo Co.)
Flowering time: Apr–Jun
Synonyms: Ectosperma a. Swallen