Melica spectabilis

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Rhizomes elongated. Culms 30–80 cm long; swollen at the base; forming an ovoid corm. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.9–1 of their length closed; scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3 mm long; glabrous on abaxial surface; erose, or lacerate. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous to pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 7–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 9–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes terete; 1.5–2 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 4–6 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keels; 3(–5) -veined. Lower glume lateral veins prominent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 6–7 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; with hyaline margins; without keels; 5(–7) -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 6–8 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keel; 7–11 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets barren; in a clump; ovate; 2.5 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3; 2–2.5 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.