Melica

<i>Melica</i>

Melica

Genus of grasses

Melica is a genus of perennial grasses known generally as melic or melic grass. They are found in most temperate regions of the world.[1]

Melica uniflora spikelet
Corm of Melica spectabilis, purple oniongrass
Melica altissima 'Atropurpurea' cultivar
Melica picta in situ

Quick Facts Melica, Scientific classification ...

Melic grasses are clumping to short-rhizomatous grasses. They have flowering culms up to 250 cm (98 in) tall bearing spikelets of papery flowers. The spikelets have between one and seven fertile flowers with a rudimentary structure at the distal end composed of one to four sterile florets.[1] Some species of melic have corms, lending them the name oniongrass.[2]

The genus is most diverse in South America and temperate Asia.[3] Eight species are endemic to China.[4] In North America, most species occur west of the Mississippi River, with exceptions being Melica mutica and M. nitens which occur throughout much of the southeast and lower Midwest respectively.[1][5]

Species

Species and hybrids include:[3][6]

References

  1. [1]
    Herbarium.usu.edu: Genus Melica treatment
  2. [2]
    Jepson Manual eFlora: Melica links
  3. [3]
    "Melica L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanical Gardens Kew. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  4. [4]
    Wu, Zhen-lan; Sylvia M. Phillips. "Melica". Flora of China. Vol. 22. Retrieved 9 December 2018 – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  5. [5]
    "Melica 2013 BONAP North American Plant Atlas". bonap.net. The Biota of North America Program. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  6. [6]
    Calflora Database: Melica
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