Muhlenbergia californica

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Rhizomes elongated. Culms geniculately ascending; 30–60 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1 mm long; truncate, or obtuse. Leaf-blades 5–15 cm long; 4–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; interrupted; 7–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle axis scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 3–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded. Floret callus hairs 0.5 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acuminate; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex acuminate; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.5–1 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea apex acuminate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southwest USA.

NOTES Eragrostideae. N Amer Fl 1994.

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