Melica porteri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Rhizomes short. Culms slender; 50–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–7 mm long; glabrous on abaxial surface, or pubescent on abaxial surface. Leaf-blades 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; nodding; 13–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed.

Spikelets deflexed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–15 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; with lower wider than upper; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 4–8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; scarious; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keels. Upper glume oblong; 4–8 mm long; 0.5–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; without keels.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 6–8 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets barren; in a clump; elliptic; 2 mm long.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2–3 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: northwest USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Meliceae. Gr Texas 1994.

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