View source for Melica

{{Treatment/ID
|accepted_name=Melica
|accepted_authority=L.
|publications=
|basionyms=
|synonyms=
|hierarchy=Poaceae;Poaceae subfam. Pooideae;Poaceae tribe Meliceae;Melica
|hierarchy_nav=<div class="higher-taxa"><div class="higher-taxon"><small>family</small>[[Poaceae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>subfamily</small>[[Poaceae subfam. Pooideae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>tribe</small>[[Poaceae tribe Meliceae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>genus</small>[[Melica]]</div></div>
|volume=Volume 24
|mention_page=
|treatment_page=page 88
}}<!--

--><span class="statement" id="st-d0_s0" data-properties=""><b>Plants </b>perennial;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s1" data-properties="whole_organism duration;whole_organism growth form;whole_organism architecture;whole_organism architecture;whole_organism growth form">cespitose or soboliferous, not or only shortly rhizomatous.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s2" data-properties="culm atypical some measurement;culm some measurement"><b>Culms </b>(4) 9-250 cm, sometimes forming a basal corm;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s3" data-properties="node pubescence;internode pubescence">nodes and internodes usually glabrous.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s4" data-properties="sheath condition"><b>Sheaths </b>closed almost to the top;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s5" data-properties="auricle presence">auricles sometimes present;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s6" data-properties="leaf ligule texture;leaf ligule architecture or relief;leaf ligule shape;leaf ligule pubescence">ligules thinly membranous, erose to lacerate, usually glabrous, those of the lower leaves shorter than those of the upper leaves;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s7" data-properties="blade shape;blade shape;blade pubescence;blade pubescence;blade pubescence or relief">blades flat or folded, glabrous or hairy, particularly on the adaxial surfaces, sometimes scabrous.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s8" data-properties=""><b>Inflorescences </b>terminal panicles;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s9" data-properties="primary branch fixation or orientation">primary branches often appressed;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s10" data-properties="secondary branch fixation or orientation;secondary branch arrangement">secondary branches appressed or divergent;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s11" data-properties="">pedicels either more or less straight or sharply bent below the spikelets, scabrous to strigose distally;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s12" data-properties="pedicel course;pedicel shape;pedicel pubescence;pedicel shape">disarticulation below the glumes in species with sharply bent pedicels, above the glumes in other species.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s13" data-properties="floret quantity;floret reproduction;structure reproduction;floret quantity;floret reproduction"><b>Spikelets </b>with 1-7 bisexual florets, terminating in a sterile structure, the rudiment, composed of 1-4 sterile florets;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s14" data-properties="rudiment fusion;rudiment size;floret reproduction">rudiments sometimes morphologically distinct from the bisexual florets, sometimes similar but smaller.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s15" data-properties="glume texture;glume texture;distal margin width;distal margin coloration or reflectance"><b>Glumes </b>membranous or chartaceous, distal margins wide, translucent;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s16" data-properties="lower glume architecture">lower glumes 1-9-veined;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s17" data-properties="upper glume architecture">upper glumes 1-11-veined;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s18" data-properties="callus pubescence">calluses glabrous;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s19" data-properties="lemma texture;lemma texture;lemma pubescence;lemma pubescence;lemma architecture;lemma architecture or shape;awn some measurement;awn course">lemmas membranous basally, sometimes becoming coriaceous at maturity, glabrous or with hairs, (4) 5-15-veined, usually unawned, sometimes awned, awns to 12 mm, straight;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s20" data-properties="lemma quantity;lemma variability;keel architecture or pubescence or shape">paleas from 1/2 as long as to almost equaling the lemmas, keels usually ciliate;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s21" data-properties="lodicule fusion;structure quantity;structure shape;structure quantity">lodicules fused into a single, collarlike structure extending 1/2 - 2/3 around the base of the ovaries;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s22" data-properties="anther atypical quantity;anther quantity">anthers (2) 3.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s23" data-properties="caryopse some measurement;caryopse architecture or pubescence or relief;caryopse pubescence;caryopse architecture;caryopse life cycle;x chromosome quantity"><b>Caryopses </b>usually 2-3 mm, smooth, glabrous, longitudinally furrowed, falling from the floret when mature, x = 9.</span><!--

-->{{Treatment/Body
|distribution=Wash.;W.Va.;D.C;Wis.;Ariz.;N.Mex.;Oreg.;Tex.;Fla.;Wyo.;N.J.;La.;Kans.;S.Dak.;Colo.;Mont.;Nev.;Tenn.;N.C.;S.C.;Pa.;N.Y.;Nebr.;Okla.;Calif.;Idaho;Va.;Alta.;B.C.;Ont.;Que.;Sask.;Alaska;Ala.;Ark.;Ill.;Ga.;Ind.;Iowa;Md.;Ohio;Utah;Mo.;Minn.;Mich.;Miss.;Ky.
|discussion=<p>Melica includes approximately 80 species, which grow in all temperate regions of the world except Australia, usually in shady woodlands on dry stony slopes (Mejia-Saules and Bisby 2003). The species are relatively nutritious, but are rarely sufficiently abundant to be important as forage.</p><!--
--><p>Nineteen species of Melica grow in the Flora region. Two European species are grown as ornamentals in North America. Many of the seventeen native species merit such use.</p><!--
--><p>Several proposals have been made for dividing Melica into smaller units. American taxonomists have tended to favor Thurber's (1880) recognition of two subgenera: Melica and Bromelica. In subg. Melica, the pedicels are straight and disarticulation is above the glumes; in subg. Bromelica, the pedicels are sharply bent and the spikelets disarticulate below the glumes. Hempel (1970) recognized three subgenera in Melica, but his groups do not correspond well to the pattern of morphological variation seen in North America. More recently, Mejia-Saules and Bisby (2003) examined the variation in lemma silica bodies and hooked papillae within Melica. Their results are not consistent with either Thurber's or Hempel's treatment, but provide some support for Papp's (1928) recognition of two groups, based on the presence or absence of hairs on the lemmas and the compression of the spikelets.</p>
|tables=
|references={{Treatment/Reference
|id=boyle1945a
|text=Boyle, W.S. 1945. A cytotaxonomic study of the North American species of Melica. Madrono 8:1-26
}}{{Treatment/Reference
|id=farwell1919a
|text=Farwell, O.A. 1919. Bromelica (Thurber): A new genus of grasses. Rhodora 21:76-78
}}{{Treatment/Reference
|id=hempel1970a
|text=Hempel, W. 1970. Taxonomische und chorologische Untersuchungen an Arten von Melica L. subgen. Melica. Feddes Repert. 81:131-145
}}{{Treatment/Reference
|id=hitchcock1951a
|text=Hitchcock, A.S. 1951. Manual of the Grasses of the United States, ed. 2, rev. A. Chase. U.S.D.A. Miscellaneous Publication No. 200. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., U.S.A. 1051 pp.
}}{{Treatment/Reference
|id=mejia-saules2003a
|text=Mejia-Saules, T. and F.A. Bisby. 2003. Silica bodies and hooked papillae in lemmas of Melica species (Gramineae: Pooideae). Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 143:447-463
}}{{Treatment/Reference
|id=papp1928a
|text=Papp, C. 1928. Monographic der Siidamerikanischen Arten der Gattung Melica L. Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 25:97-160
}}{{Treatment/Reference
|id=thurber1880a
|text=Thurber, G. 1880. Melica Linn. Pp. 302-305 in S. Watson. Geological Survey of California: Botany, vol. 2. Little, Brown, Boston, Masssachusetts, U.S.A. 559 pp.
}}
}}<!--

--><div class="treatment-key">
==Key==
<div class="treatment-key-group">
  
{| class="wikitable fna-keytable"
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Spikelets disarticulating below the glumes; pedicels sharply bent just below the spikelets.
|[[#key-0-2| > 2]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Lemmas with hairs.
|[[#key-0-3| > 3]]
|-id=key-0-3
|3
|Lemmas with hairs on the lower portion of the lemmas, the hairs twisted
|[[Melica montezumae|Melica montezumae]]
|-id=key-0-3
|3
|Lemmas with hairs on the marginal veins, the hairs not twisted
|[[Melica ciliata|Melica ciliata]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Lemmas glabrous, sometimes scabridulous to scabrous.
|[[#key-0-3| > 3]]
|-id=key-0-4
|4
|Rudiments acute to acuminate, similar to but smaller than the bisexual florets.
|[[#key-0-5| > 5]]
|-id=key-0-5
|5
|Spikelets broadly V-shaped when mature, 5-13 mm wide; upper glumes 6-18 mm long
|[[Melica stricta|Melica stricta]]
|-id=key-0-5
|5
|Spikelets parallel-sided when mature, 1.5-5 mm wide; upper glumes 5-8 mm long
|[[Melica porter|Melica porter]]
|-id=key-0-4
|4
|Rudiments clublike, not resembling the bisexual florets.
|[[#key-0-5| > 5]]
|-id=key-0-6
|6
|Rudiments at an angle to the rachilla; panicle branches with 2-5 spikelets
|[[Melica mutica|Melica mutica]]
|-id=key-0-6
|6
|Rudiments in a straight line with the rachilla; panicle branches with 5-20 spikelets.
|[[#key-0-7| > 7]]
|-id=key-0-7
|7
|Panicle branches often divergent to reflexed; glumes unequal, lower glumes shorter and more ovate than the upper glumes
|[[Melica nitens|Melica nitens]]
|-id=key-0-7
|7
|Panicle branches strongly ascending to appressed; glumes subequal in length and similar in shape
|[[Melica altissima|Melica altissima]]
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Spikelets disarticulating above the glumes; pedicels more or less straight.
|[[#key-0-2| > 2]]
|-id=key-0-8
|8
|Rudiments truncate to acute, not resembling the lowest florets.
|[[#key-0-9| > 9]]
|-id=key-0-9
|9
|Bisexual florets 1(2); paleas almost as long as the lemmas.
|[[#key-0-10| > 10]]
|-id=key-0-10
|10
|Rudiments shorter than the terminal rachilla internode; bisexual lemmas scabridulous, sometimes hairy
|[[Melica torreyana|Melica torreyana]]
|-id=key-0-10
|10
|Rudiments longer than the terminal rachilla internode; bisexual lemmas glabrous, sometimes scabrous
|[[Melica imperfecta|Melica imperfecta]]
|-id=key-0-9
|9
|Bisexual florets 2-7; paleas 1/2 – 3/4 the length of the lemmas.
|[[#key-0-10| > 10]]
|-id=key-0-11
|11
|Culm bases not forming distinct corms
|[[Melica californica|Melica californica]]
|-id=key-0-11
|11
|Culm bases forming distinct corms.
|[[#key-0-12| > 12]]
|-id=key-0-12
|12
|Glumes usually less than 1/2 as long as the spikelets; ligules 0.1-2 mm long; corms connected to the rhizomes by a rootlike structure
|[[Melica spectabilis|Melica spectabilis]]
|-id=key-0-12
|12
|Glumes from 1/2(2/3) as long as to equaling the spikelets; ligules 2-6 mm long; corms almost sessile on the rhizomes
|[[Melica bulbosa|Melica bulbosa]]
|-id=key-0-8
|8
|Rudiments tapering, smaller than but otherwise similar to the lowest florets in shape.
|[[#key-0-9| > 9]]
|-id=key-0-13
|13
|Lemmas awned.
|[[#key-0-14| > 14]]
|-id=key-0-14
|14
|Awns shorter than 3 mm.
|[[#key-0-15| > 15]]
|-id=key-0-15
|15
|Panicle branches appressed; lemmas usually with 0.7-1.3 mm hairs on the margins
|[[Melica harfordii|Melica harfordii]]
|-id=key-0-15
|15
|Panicle branches widespread to reflexed; lemmas glabrous
|[[Melica geyeri|Melica geyeri]]
|-id=key-0-14
|14
|Awns 3-12 mm long.
|[[#key-0-15| > 15]]
|-id=key-0-16
|16
|Panicle branches 4-6 cm long, appressed or ascending; blades 2-6 mm wide
|[[Melica aristata|Melica aristata]]
|-id=key-0-16
|16
|Panicle branches 7-11 cm long, spreading to reflexed; blades 5-12 mm wide
|[[Melica smithii|Melica smithii]]
|-id=key-0-13
|13
|Lemmas unawned.
|[[#key-0-14| > 14]]
|-id=key-0-17
|17
|Lemmas strongly tapering and acuminate, the veins usually hairy
|[[Melica subulata|Melica subulata]]
|-id=key-0-17
|17
|Lemmas acute to obtuse, the veins hairy or not.
|[[#key-0-18| > 18]]
|-id=key-0-18
|18
|Lemmas pubescent, the hairs on the marginal veins clearly longer than the hairs elsewhere
|[[Melica harfordii|Melica harfordii]]
|-id=key-0-18
|18
|Lemmas glabrous, scabrous, or pubescent, never with clearly longer hairs on the marginal veins.
|[[#key-0-19| > 19]]
|-id=key-0-19
|19
|Rachilla internodes swollen when fresh, wrinkled when dry
|[[Melica fugax|Melica fugax]]
|-id=key-0-19
|19
|Rachilla internodes not swollen when fresh, not wrinkled when dry.
|[[#key-0-20| > 20]]
|-id=key-0-20
|20
|Panicle branches with 5-15 spikelets; paleas about 1/2 as long as the lemmas; culms not forming corms
|[[Melica frutescens|Melica frutescens]]
|-id=key-0-20
|20
|Panicle branches with 1-6 spikelets; paleas from 2/3 as long as to equaling the lemmas; culms forming corms.
|[[#key-0-21| > 21]]
|-id=key-0-21
|21
|Panicle branches 3-11 cm long, divergent to reflexed, flexuous; lowest rachilla internodes 2-3 mm long
|[[Melica geyeri|Melica geyeri]]
|-id=key-0-21
|21
|Panicle branches 2-6.5 cm long, usually appressed to ascending, straight, sometimes strongly divergent and flexuous; lowest rachilla internodes 1-2 mm long.
|[[#key-0-22| > 22]]
|-id=key-0-22
|22
|Ligules 0.1-2 mm long; glumes usually less than 1/2 the length of the spikelets; corms not attached directly to the rhizomes
|[[Melica spectabilis|Melica spectabilis]]
|-id=key-0-22
|22
|Ligules 2-6 mm long; glumes from (1/2)2/3 as long as to equaling the spikelets; corms almost sessile, directly attached to the rhizomes
|[[Melica bulbosa|Melica bulbosa]]
|}
</div></div><!--

-->{{#Taxon:
name=Melica
|author=Mary E. Barkworth;
|authority=L.
|rank=genus
|parent rank=tribe
|synonyms=
|basionyms=
|family=Poaceae
|distribution=Wash.;W.Va.;D.C;Wis.;Ariz.;N.Mex.;Oreg.;Tex.;Fla.;Wyo.;N.J.;La.;Kans.;S.Dak.;Colo.;Mont.;Nev.;Tenn.;N.C.;S.C.;Pa.;N.Y.;Nebr.;Okla.;Calif.;Idaho;Va.;Alta.;B.C.;Ont.;Que.;Sask.;Alaska;Ala.;Ark.;Ill.;Ga.;Ind.;Iowa;Md.;Ohio;Utah;Mo.;Minn.;Mich.;Miss.;Ky.
|reference=boyle1945a;farwell1919a;hempel1970a;hitchcock1951a;mejia-saules2003a;papp1928a;thurber1880a
|publication title=
|publication year=
|special status=
|source xml=https://bibilujan@bitbucket.org/aafc-mbb/fna-fine-grained-xml.git/src/84153f6d59a0a91d69695978a64cee7560374f8e/V24/V24_105.xml
|subfamily=Poaceae subfam. Pooideae
|tribe=Poaceae tribe Meliceae
|genus=Melica
|anther atypical quantity=2
|anther quantity=3
|auricle presence=absent
|awn course=straight
|awn some measurement=0mm;12mm
|blade pubescence=hairy;glabrous
|blade pubescence or relief=scabrous
|blade shape=folded;flat
|callus pubescence=glabrous
|caryopse architecture=furrowed
|caryopse architecture or pubescence or relief=smooth
|caryopse life cycle=falling
|caryopse pubescence=glabrous
|caryopse some measurement=2mm;3mm
|culm atypical some measurement=4
|culm some measurement=9cm;250cm
|distal margin coloration or reflectance=translucent
|distal margin width=wide
|floret quantity=1;4
|floret reproduction=bisexual;sterile;bisexual
|glume texture=chartaceous;membranous
|internode pubescence=glabrous
|keel architecture or pubescence or shape=ciliate
|leaf ligule architecture or relief=erose
|leaf ligule pubescence=glabrous
|leaf ligule shape=lacerate
|leaf ligule texture=membranous
|lemma architecture=(4)5-15-veined
|lemma architecture or shape=awned
|lemma pubescence=with hairs;glabrous
|lemma quantity=1/2
|lemma texture=coriaceous;membranous
|lemma variability=equaling
|lodicule fusion=fused
|lower glume architecture=1-9-veined
|node pubescence=glabrous
|pedicel course=straight
|pedicel pubescence=scabrous;strigose
|pedicel shape=bent;bent
|primary branch fixation or orientation=appressed
|rudiment fusion=distinct
|rudiment size=smaller
|secondary branch arrangement=divergent
|secondary branch fixation or orientation=appressed
|sheath condition=closed
|structure quantity=1/2;2/3
|structure reproduction=sterile
|structure shape=collar-like
|upper glume architecture=1-11-veined
|whole_organism architecture=rhizomatous;soboliferous
|whole_organism duration=perennial
|whole_organism growth form=plant;cespitose
|x chromosome quantity=9
}}<!--

-->[[Category:Treatment]][[Category:Poaceae tribe Meliceae]]