Melica harfordii
Encyclopedia
Melica harfordii is a species of grass
known by the common name Harford's oniongrass.
to California
, where it grows in many types of habitat, including mountain forests and open hillsides. It is found in the foothills and higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada.
s. The inflorescence
is a narrow series of spikelets tipped with nearly invisible awns.
Poaceae
The Poaceae is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of flowering plants. Members of this family are commonly called grasses, although the term "grass" is also applied to plants that are not in the Poaceae lineage, including the rushes and sedges...
known by the common name Harford's oniongrass.
Distribution
It is native to western North America from British ColumbiaBritish Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it grows in many types of habitat, including mountain forests and open hillsides. It is found in the foothills and higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada.
Description
Melica harfordii is a perennial bunchgrass growing up to 1.2 meters in maximum height. There are no cormCorm
A corm is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ used by some plants to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat ....
s. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a narrow series of spikelets tipped with nearly invisible awns.