Melica stricta
Plants densely cespitose, not rhizomatous. Culms 9-85 cm, not forming corms; basal internodes often thickened; internodes smooth. Sheaths scabridulous; ligules 2.5-5 mm; blades 1.5-5 mm wide, abaxial surfaces glabrous, scabridulous, adaxial surfaces sometimes strigose, sometimes glabrous or scabridulous. Panicles 3-30 cm; branches 0.5-10 cm, appressed, with 1-5 spikelets; pedicels sharply bent below the spikelets; disarticulation below the glumes. Spikelets 6-23 mm long, 5-13 mm wide, broadly V-shaped when mature, with 2-4 bisexual florets; rachilla internodes 1.8-2.1 mm. Lower glumes 6-16 mm long, 3.5-5 mm wide, 4-7-veined; upper glumes 6-18 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, 5-9-veined; lemmas 6-16 mm, glabrous, scabridulous, 5-9-veined, veins inconspicuous, apices acute, unawned; paleas 1/2 - 3/4 the length of the lemmas; anthers 1-3 mm; rudiments 2-7 mm, resembling the lower florets, acute to acuminate. Caryopses 4-5 mm. 2n = 18.
Distribution
Utah, Calif., Nev., Oreg.
Discussion
Melica stricta grows from 1200-3350 m on rocky, often dry slopes, sometimes in alpine habitats. Its range extends from Oregon and California to Utah. Boyle (1945) recognized two varieties, more on their marked geographical separation than on their morphological divergence.
Selected References
None.
Key
| 1 | Paleas about 3/4 the length of the lemmas; anthers 2-3 mm long | Melica stricta var. albicaulis |
| 1 | Paleas about 1/2 the length of the lemmas; anthers 1-2 mm long | Melica stricta var. stricta |