Melica harfordii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 40–100 cm long; wiry. Culm-internodes with small lumen, or solid. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; scaberulous; glabrous on surface to hirsute. Leaf-sheath auricles erect and connate forming a tooth opposite blade. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; erose. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 1–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 6–8 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 8–10 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 9–11 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma apex emarginate, or obtuse; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.5–2 mm long overall. Palea 0.66–0.75 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets barren; in a clump; lanceolate; 4–5 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3; 3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: western Canada, northwest USA, and southwest USA.

NOTES Meliceae. Fl Pac NW 1994.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.