Melica frutescens


Melica frutescens, the woody melicgrass, is a species of grass found in Arizona and California in the United States and in Mexico.

Description

The species is perennial and have culms that are long and woody. The species' lateral branches are sparse with leaf-sheaths being scabrous, tubular and closed. It leaf-blades are wide. It panicle is contracted, linear, and is long with filiform pedicels that are located on fertile spikelet. The main branches are appressed and carry oblong and solitary spikelets that are long. They are comprised out of 3–6 fertile florets which are diminished at the apex. It sterile florets are barren, oblong, growing in a clump and are long. The species' fertile lemma is chartaceous, keelless, oblong and is long. Both lower and upper glumes are chartaceous, elliptic and keelless with acute apexes. Their size is different though; Lower glume is long while the upper one is long. Flowers are fleshy, oblong, truncate and grow together. They also have 3 anthers with fruits that are caryopses and have an additional pericarp.