''Melica'' is a genus of perennial

grasses Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns and ...

known generally as melic or melic grass. They are found in most temperate regions of the world.Herbarium.usu.edu: Genus ''Melica'' treatment
/ref> Melica uniflora sl11 (cropped without scale)

Melica uniflora sl11 (cropped without scale)

Melic grasses are clumping to short-

rhizomatous In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...

. They have flowering culms up to tall bearing

spikelets A spikelet, in botany, describes the typical arrangement of the flowers of grasses, sedges and some other Monocots. Each spikelet has one or more florets. The spikelets are further grouped into panicles or spikes. The part of the spikelet that ...

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. Some species of melic have

corm A corm, bulbo-tuber, or bulbotuber is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ that some plants use to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat (perennation). The word ' ...

s, lending them the name oniongrass.Jepson Manual eFlora: ''Melica'' links
/ref> The genus is most diverse in South America and temperate Asia. Eight species are endemic to China. In North America, most species occur west of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

, with exceptions being '' Melica mutica'' and ''M. nitens'' which occur throughout much of the southeast and lower Midwest respectively.

Species

Species and hybrids include: Calflora Database: ''Melica''
/ref> * '' Melica altissima'' L. – Siberian melic grass * '' Melica amethystina'' Pourr. * '' Melica animarum'' Muj.-Sall. & M.Marchi * ''

Melica argentata ''Melica argentata'' is a species of grass endemic to Chile (Coquimbo and O'Higgins). Description The species culmes are rambled, and are either straight or zigzag shaped. They are long and in diameter. The leaf-sheaths are tubular with the m ...

'' É.Desv. * ''

Melica argyrea ''Melica argyrea'' is a species of grass found in Argentina, Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul), and Uruguay. Description The glumes are long and are erect. It has no lateral branches. Leaf-sheaths are tubular for majority of the length and can be scab ...

'' Hack. * '' Melica aristata'' Thurb. ex Bol. – bearded melic grass * '' Melica arzivencoi'' Valls & Barcellos * ''

Melica × aschersonii ''Melica'' is a genus of perennial grasses known generally as melic or melic grass. They are found in most temperate regions of the world. Melic grasses are clumping to short-rhizomatous grasses. They have flowering culms up to tall bearing ...

'' M.Schulze * ''

Melica bocquetii ''Melica bocquetii'', is a species of grass in the family Poaceae that is endemic to the Subbaetic mountains of southern Spain.S. Talavera. Lagascalia 14(1): 118 (1986). Una nueva especie del genero Melica L. Description The species is perennia ...

'' Talavera * ''

Melica bonariensis ''Melica bonariensis'' is a species of grass endemic to Argentina where it can be found in such provinces as Buenos Aires (Bahía Blanca), La Pampa, and Rio Negro. Description The species is perennial with short rhizomes. Its culms are erect a ...

'' Parodi * ''

Melica brasiliana ''Melica brasiliana'', is a grass species in the family Poaceae that is endemic to Brazil and southern South America. Description The species is perennial with elongated rhizomes. Its culms are long. Culm-internodes scaberulous with leaf-sheat ...

'' Ard. * ''

Melica brevicoronata ''Melica brevicoronata'', is a grass species in the family Poaceae that can be found in Brazil, southern South America, and Cerro Pan de Azúcar, Uruguay. Description The species is perennial with elongated rhizomes and pilose butt sheaths. Its ...

'' Roseng. * ''

Melica bulbosa ''Melica bulbosa'' is a species of grass known by the common name oniongrass. The common name comes from the onionlike appearance of the corm at its root; it is not related to the onions. It is native to western North America from British Columbi ...

'' Porter & J.M.Coult. – oniongrass * ''

Melica californica ''Melica californica'' is a species of Poaceae, grass known by the common name California melic. Distribution This grass is native to Oregon and California, where it grows in many types of habitat, from mountain forests to open grassland at sea ...

'' Scribn. – California melic grass * ''

Melica canariensis ''Melica'' is a genus of perennial grasses known generally as melic or melic grass. They are found in most temperate regions of the world. Melic grasses are clumping to short-rhizomatous grasses. They have flowering culms up to tall bearing ...

'' W.Hempel * ''

Melica capillaris ''Melica'' is a genus of perennial grasses known generally as melic or melic grass. They are found in most temperate regions of the world. Melic grasses are clumping to short-rhizomatous grasses. They have flowering culms up to tall bearing ...

'' Sol. * ''

Melica cepacea ''Melica'' is a genus of perennial grasses known generally as melic or melic grass. They are found in most temperate regions of the world. Melic grasses are clumping to short-rhizomatous grasses. They have flowering culms up to tall bearing ...

'' (Phil.) Scribn. * ''

Melica chilensis ''Melica'' is a genus of perennial Poaceae, grasses known generally as melic or melic grass. They are found in most temperate regions of the world. Melic grasses are clumping to short-rhizome, rhizomatous Poaceae, grasses. They have culm (bot ...

'' J.Presl * ''

Melica ciliata ''Melica ciliata'', the hairy melic or silky spike melic, is a species of flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae, native to Europe, north Africa and temperate Asia. It has been introduced to South Australia. Description The species is a tuf ...

'' L. – hairy melic, silky spike melic * '' Melica commersonii'' Nees ex Steud. * ''

Melica cupani ''Melica'' is a genus of perennial grasses known generally as melic or melic grass. They are found in most temperate regions of the world. Melic grasses are clumping to short-rhizome, rhizomatous grasses Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a ...

'' Guss. * '' Melica decipiens'' Caro * ''

Melica dendroides ''Melica dendroides'' is a grass species in the family Poaceae that is endemic to southern part of Africa. Description The species is perennial plant, perennial and is caespitose as well. It culm (botany), culms are long with tubular The leaf-s ...

'' Lehm. * '' Melica eligulata'' Boiss. * '' Melica eremophila'' Torres * ''

Melica frutescens ''Melica frutescens'', the woody melicgrass, is a species of Poaceae, grass found in Arizona and California in the United States and in Mexico. Description The species is perennial plant, perennial and have culm (botany), culms that are long an ...

'' Scribn. – woody melicgrass * '' Melica fugax'' Bol. – little oniongrass * '' Melica geyeri'' Munro ex Bol. – Geyer's oniongrass * '' Melica glabrescens'' (Torres) Torres * '' Melica grandiflora'' Koidz. * '' Melica harfordii'' Bol. – Harford's oniongrass * '' Melica × haussknechtii'' W.Hempel * ''

Melica hunzikeri ''Melica hunzikeri'' is a species of Poaceae, grass that is endemic to southern South America. Description The species is perennial plant, perennial with short rhizomes and erect culm (botany), culms which are long. The leaf-sheaths are tubular ...

'' Nicora * '' Melica hyalina'' Döll * '' Melica imperfecta'' Trin. – smallflower melic * '' Melica kozlovii'' Tzvelev * '' Melica lilloi'' Bech. * '' Melica longiflora'' Steud. * '' Melica longiligulata'' Z.L.Wu * '' Melica macra'' Nees * '' Melica minor'' Hack. ex Boiss. * ''

Melica minuta ''Melica minuta'' is a species of grass that can be found in the Mediterranean Basin, from Portugal and Morocco to the Eastern Mediterranean. Description The species is perennial and have long culms. Both the leaf-sheaths and the leaf-blades ...

'' L. – small melic * '' Melica mollis'' Phil. * '' Melica montezumae'' Piper – Montezuma melic * '' Melica mutica'' Walter – two-flower melic grass * ''

Melica nitens ''Melica nitens'' is a species of grass known by the common names threeflower melicgrass or three-flowered melic. It is native to the central United States.Melica nutans ''Melica nutans'', known as mountain melick, is a grass species in the family Poaceae, native to European and Asian forests. Description The grass has slender creeping rhizomes. The culms are tall. It inflorescence is comprised out of 5–15 ...

'' L. – mountain melic; nodding melic * ''

Melica onoei ''Melica onoei'' is a species of grass found in China, Japan, Korea, Pakistan and Taiwan. Description The species is perennial and have elongated rhizomes. It culms are long. The species leaf-sheaths are tubular and smooth with one of their ...

'' Franch. & Sav. * '' Melica pappiana'' W.Hempel * '' Melica parodiana'' Torres * ''

Melica patagonica ''Melica patagonica'' is a species of grass that is endemic to South America. Description The species is perennial, caespitose and clumped while culms are decumbent and are long. The leaf-sheaths are scabrous, tubular, are closed on one end an ...

'' Parodi * '' Melica paulsenii'' Phil. * '' Melica penicillaris'' Boiss. & Balansa * '' Melica persica'' Kunth * ''

Melica picta ''Melica picta'' is a species of grass in the family Poaceae that can be found in Europe, northwestern Africa and southwestern Asia. Description The species is cespitose and perennial with the culms being long. Leaf-sheaths are closed, tubular ...

'' K.Koch * '' Melica poecilantha'' É.Desv. * '' Melica porteri'' Scribn. * '' Melica przewalskyi'' Roshev. * '' Melica racemosa'' Thunb. * '' Melica radula'' Franch. * '' Melica rectiflora'' Boiss. & Heldr. * ''

Melica rigida ''Melica rigida'' is a species of Poaceae, grass found in Argentina, Brazil (Santa Catarina (state), Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul), and Uruguay. Description The species is perennial plant, perennial with short rhizomes. It culm (botany), cu ...

'' Cav. * '' Melica riograndensis'' Longhi-Wagner & Valls * '' Melica sarmentosa'' Nees * '' Melica scaberrima'' (Nees ex Steud.) Hook.f. * '' Melica scabra'' Kunth * '' Melica scabrosa'' Trin. * '' Melica schafkati'' Bondarenko * '' Melica schuetzeana'' W.Hempel * '' Melica secunda'' Regel * '' Melica serrana'' Muj.-Sall. & M.Marchi * '' Melica smirnovii'' Tzvelev * ''

Melica smithii ''Melica smithii'' (Smith's melic grass) is a species of grass that grows in the Canadian provinces Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, and the US states Idaho, Michigan, Montana, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The spec ...

'' (Porter ex A.Gray) Vasey – Smith's melicgrass * ''

Melica spartinoides ''Melica spartinoides'', is a species of grass in the family Poaceae that is endemic to the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina (state), Santa Catarina. Description The species is perennial plant, perennial and caespitose with short rhizomes. It c ...

'' L.B.Sm. * '' Melica spectabilis'' Scribn. – purple oniongrass * '' Melica stricta'' Bol. – rock melic grass * '' Melica stuckertii'' Hack. * '' Melica subflava'' Z.L.Wu & * ''

Melica subulata ''Melica subulata'' is a species of Poaceae, grass known by the common name Alaska oniongrass. Distribution It is native to western North America from Alaska to California to Colorado, where it grows in moist habitat, often in forests. ''Melica ...

'' (Griseb.) Scribn. – Alaska oniongrass * '' Melica tangutorum'' Tzvelev * '' Melica taylorii'' W.Hempel * '' Melica teneriffae'' Hack. ex Christ * '' Melica tenuis'' Arechav. * '' Melica × thuringiaca'' Rauschert * '' Melica tibetica'' Roshev. * '' Melica torreyana'' Scribn. – Torrey's melic * '' Melica transsilvanica'' Schur * '' Melica turczaninowiana'' Ohwi * '' Melica × tzvelevii'' W.Hempel * ''

Melica uniflora ''Melica uniflora'', commonly known as wood melick, is a species of grass in the family Poaceae that is native to much of Europe, and to parts of South West Asia and North Africa. Description The species rhizomes are elongated. The culm (botany) ...

'' Retz. * '' Melica violacea'' Cav. * '' Melica virgata'' Turcz. ex Trin. * '' Melica × weinii'' W.Hempel * ''

Melica yajiangensis ''Melica yajiangensis'', is a species of Poaceae, grass that is endemic to China. Description The species is perennial plant, perennial and caespitose, which is Sessility (zoology), clumped and have absent rhizomes. Its culm (botany), culms are ...

'' Z.L.Wu

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q158251 Poaceae genera Grasses of Africa Grasses of Asia Grasses of Europe Grasses of North America Grasses of Oceania Grasses of South America Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus