''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 ...

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 ho ...

. 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 List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest Drainage system (geomorphology), drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson B ...

, with exceptions being ''

Melica mutica ''Melica mutica'', the twoflower melicgrass, is a grass species in the family Poaceae that can be found in southeastern United States. Description The species is perennial and caespitose with elongated rhizomes. Its culms are long. Leaf-she ...

'' 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 ...

'' 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 s ...

'' 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 beari ...

'' 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 perenn ...

'' 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 ...

'' 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-s ...

'' 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. ...

'' 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 Columb ...

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

Melica californica ''Melica californica'' is a species of 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 level. D ...

'' 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 beari ...

'' 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 beari ...

'' 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 beari ...

'' (Phil.) Scribn. * ''

Melica chilensis ''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 beari ...

'' 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 ''Melica commersonii'' is a species of grass endemic to Chile ( Limari to Arauco). Description The species is perennial and is caespitose as well. It culms are long with butt sheaths being herbaceous and pilose. The leaf-sheaths are smooth, ...

'' Nees ex Steud. * '' Melica cupani'' Guss. * '' Melica decipiens'' Caro * '' Melica dendroides'' Lehm. * '' Melica eligulata'' Boiss. * '' Melica eremophila'' Torres * '' Melica frutescens'' Scribn. – woody melicgrass * ''

Melica fugax ''Melica fugax'' is a species of Poaceae, grass known by the common names little oniongrass and little melic. It is native to western North America where it usually grows in volcanic soils in forest and plateau habitat from British Columbia to th ...

'' Bol. – little oniongrass * '' Melica geyeri'' Munro ex Bol. – Geyer's oniongrass * ''

Melica glabrescens ''Melica glabrescens'' is a species of grass found in Buenos Aires and Río Negro, Argentina. Description The species is perennial with short rhizomes and erect culms that are long. The leaf-sheaths are scabrous, tubular and closed on one en ...

'' (Torres) Torres * ''

Melica grandiflora ''Melica grandiflora'' is a species of grass that can be found in Japan, Korea and China. Description The species is perennial and caespitose with culms that are long. The leaf-sheaths are tubular and are closed on one end while the leaf-bl ...

'' Koidz. * '' Melica harfordii'' Bol. – Harford's oniongrass * '' Melica × haussknechtii'' W.Hempel * '' Melica hunzikeri'' Nicora * '' Melica hyalina'' Döll * ''

Melica imperfecta ''Melica imperfecta'' is a species of grass known by the common name smallflower melic and little California melic. It is native to the Arizona, California, and Nevada in the United States and Baja California in Mexico. It grows in chaparral, ...

'' Trin. – smallflower melic * ''

Melica kozlovii ''Melica kozlovii'' is a species of grass found on mountain slopes in Mongolia and China ( Gansu, Qinghai, Shanxi) at above sea level. Description The species is perennial loosely tufted with short rhizomes. The culms are as tall as and are ...

'' Tzvelev * '' Melica lilloi'' Bech. * ''

Melica longiflora ''Melica longiflora'' is a grass species in the family Poaceae that is endemic to Chile where it can be found from Coquimbo to Talca. Description The species is perennial and is caespitose as well. The culms are either ascended or rambled, ar ...

'' Steud. * '' Melica longiligulata'' Z.L.Wu * '' Melica macra'' Nees * '' Melica minor'' Hack. ex Boiss. * '' Melica minuta'' L. – small melic * ''

Melica mollis ''Melica mollis'' is a species of grass endemic to Chile where it grows in rock crevices at above sea level. Description The species is perennial, caespitose and densely clumped with long culms. The leaf-sheaths are tubular and are closed on ...

'' Phil. * ''

Melica montezumae ''Melica montezumae'', Montezuma melicgrass, is a grass species in the family Poaceae that can be found in Texas and Mexico. Description The plant is perennial plant, perennial and is caespitose as well. The culm (botany), culms are long while ...

'' Piper – Montezuma melic * ''

'' 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'' 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 th ...

'' 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 a ...

'' Parodi * '' Melica paulsenii'' Phil. * '' Melica penicillaris'' Boiss. & Balansa * '' Melica persica'' Kunth * '' Melica picta'' K.Koch * '' Melica poecilantha'' É.Desv. * '' Melica porteri'' Scribn. * '' Melica przewalskyi'' Roshev. * '' Melica racemosa'' Thunb. * '' Melica radula'' Franch. * '' Melica rectiflora'' Boiss. & Heldr. * '' Melica rigida'' Cav. * '' Melica riograndensis'' Longhi-Wagner & Valls * '' Melica sarmentosa'' Nees * ''

Melica scaberrima ''Melica scaberrima'', is a species of grass that can be found in Yunnan, China, Nepal, Pakistan and northern part of India (including Kashmir). Description The species is perennial and have elongated rhizomes. It culms are erect and are ...

'' (Nees ex Steud.) Hook.f. * ''

Melica scabra ''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 beari ...

'' Kunth * '' Melica scabrosa'' Trin. * '' Melica schafkati'' Bondarenko * '' Melica schuetzeana'' W.Hempel * ''

Melica secunda ''Melica secunda'', is a species of Poaceae, grass that can be found in China (Gansu, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Xizang), Afghanistan, and Kashmir. Description The species is perennial plant, perennial and tufted, with creeping rhizomes. It culm (botany ...

'' Regel * '' Melica serrana'' Muj.-Sall. & M.Marchi * '' Melica smirnovii'' Tzvelev * '' Melica smithii'' (Porter ex A.Gray) Vasey – Smith's melicgrass * '' Melica spartinoides'' L.B.Sm. * '' Melica spectabilis'' Scribn. – purple oniongrass * ''

Melica stricta ''Melica stricta'' is a species of grass known by the common name rock melic. Distribution It is native to California, Oregon, Nevada, and Utah in the western United States. It grows in mountain and plateau habitats, including areas with a ...

'' Bol. – rock melic grass * '' Melica stuckertii'' Hack. * '' Melica subflava'' Z.L.Wu & * '' Melica subulata'' (Griseb.) Scribn. – Alaska oniongrass * '' Melica tangutorum'' Tzvelev * '' Melica taylorii'' W.Hempel * ''

Melica teneriffae ''Melica teneriffae'', is a grass species in the family Poaceae that is endemic to the Canary Islands. Description The species is perennial plant, perennial and caespitose with culm (botany), culms being long. The leaf-sheaths are tubular. Leaf ...

'' Hack. ex Christ * '' Melica tenuis'' Arechav. * '' Melica × thuringiaca'' Rauschert * '' Melica tibetica'' Roshev. * '' Melica torreyana'' Scribn. – Torrey's melic * ''

Melica transsilvanica ''Melica transsilvanica'' is a species of grass found in Europe and temperate Asia, including Caucasus and China. Description The species is perennial and caespitose with elongated rhizomes. It culms are long with tubular leaf-sheaths whic ...

'' Schur * '' Melica turczaninowiana'' Ohwi * '' Melica × tzvelevii'' W.Hempel * '' Melica uniflora'' Retz. * '' Melica violacea'' Cav. * '' Melica virgata'' Turcz. ex Trin. * '' Melica × weinii'' W.Hempel * '' Melica yajiangensis'' 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