Genus Melica Rank Species | ||
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Similar Melica, Grasses, Melica nutans, Melica transsilvanica, Melica uniflora | ||
Melica ciliata, commonly called hairy melic or silky spike melic, is a grass species of perennial bunchgrass native to Europe, north Africa, and temperate Asia.
Description
The species is perennial and caespitose with elongated rhizomes. It have erect culms which are 50–100 centimetres (20–39 in) long. Leaf-sheaths are tubular and closed on one end with its ligule having an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades are flat, stiff, and are 5–15 centimetres (2.0–5.9 in) long by 1–3 millimetres (0.039–0.118 in) wide. Their surface is scabrous and glabrous while it apex is attenuate. The panicle is contracted, continuous, linear and is 4–20 centimetres (1.6–7.9 in) long. The species' spikelets are cuneate and are made out of 1 fertile floret. Fertile florets are pediceled, pedicels of which are filiform and puberulous.
Both lower and upper glumes are keelless, membranous, ovate, are 4–5 millimetres (0.16–0.20 in) long and 5-veined. It palea have ciliated keels and is 2-veined, while it fertile lemma is keelless, lanceolate, with acute apex and ciliated margins. It is also 4.5–5 millimetres (0.18–0.20 in) long and is 7–9 veined. Flowers are fleshy, oblong, truncate, united and have 2 lodicules and 3 anthers. The species' fruits is caryopsis with additional pericarp and linear hilum.
