Melica hitchcockii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb. Culms 20–40 cm long. Leaves cauline. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3 mm long. Leaf-blades 12–17 cm long; 5–7 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 5–8 fertile spikelets.

Panicle contracted; linear; 7–12 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.4–4 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Rhachilla internodes pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 7 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein eciliate, or ciliate. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume lanceolate; 8 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 10 mm long; 2–2.5 mm wide; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent; hairy at base. Lemma margins pubescent. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 10 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 2–3 in number; barren; in a clump; lanceolate; 5 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas awned.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2–2.3 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: western Canada.

NOTES Meliceae. Boivin 2004.

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