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This species is accepted, and its native range is E. Central & E. Europe to Siberia and Iran.

[GB]
Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 50-100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 1 of their length closed; scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 4-5 mm long. Leaf-blades 15-30 cm long; 6-12 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle scaberulous above. Panicle open; linear; interrupted (below); 10-17 cm long; 1-2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending. Panicle branches flexuous; scabrous. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8-10 mm long; falling entire.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8-10 mm long; falling entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, or ovate; 7-10 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; purple; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic, or ovate; 7-10 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; purple; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; 7-10 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keel; 7-9 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets 2-3 in number; barren; in a clump; cuneate; 2.5-3 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; 3 mm long. Hilum linear; 0.33 length of caryopsis.
Distribution
Europe: central, southeastern, and eastern. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, and China.
Reference
Meliceae. Fl Turk 1993.

Native to:

Altay, Austria, Bulgaria, Buryatiya, Central European Rus, Czechoslovakia, East European Russia, Hungary, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Krasnoyarsk, North Caucasus, Romania, South European Russi, Tadzhikistan, Transcaucasus, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, West Siberia, Xinjiang, Yakutskiya, Yugoslavia

Introduced into:

Germany, Italy, New York, Oklahoma, Ontario

Melica altissima L. appears in other Kew resources:

First published in Sp. Pl.: 66 (1753)

Accepted by

  • Bor, N.L. (1970). Flora Iranica 70: 1-573. Naturhistorisches Museums Wien.
  • Clayton, W.D., Harman, K.T. & Williamson, H. (2006). World Grass Species - Synonymy database The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Davis, P.H. (ed.) (1985). Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands 9: 1-724. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.
  • Fedorov, A.A. (ed.) (1999). Flora of Russia. The European part and bordering regions 1: 1-546. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, Broekfield.
  • Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2007). Flora of North America North of Mexico 24: 1-908. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.
  • Malyschev, L.I. & Peschkova, G.A. (eds.) (2001). Flora of Siberia 2: 1-362. Scientific Publishers, Inc., Enfield, Plymouth.
  • Takhtajan, A.L. (ed.) (2006). Konspekt Flora Kavkaza 2: 1-466. Editio Universitatis Petropolitanae.
  • Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1980). Flora Europaea 5: 1-452. Cambridge University Press.
  • Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2006). Poaceae Flora of China 22: 1-733. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.

Literature

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Bor, N.L. (1970). Flora Iranica 70: 1-573. Naturhistorisches Museums Wien.
  • Davis, P.H. (ed.) (1985). Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands 9: 1-724. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.
  • Fedorov, A.A. (ed.) (1999). Flora of Russia. The European part and bordering regions 1: 1-546. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, Broekfield.
  • Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2007). Flora of North America North of Mexico 24: 1-908. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.
  • Malyschev, L.I. & Peschkova, G.A. (eds.) (2001). Flora of Siberia 2: 1-362. Scientific Publishers, Inc., Enfield, Plymouth.
  • Merkodovich, N.A. (ed.) (1941). Flora Uzbekistana 1: 1-566. Izd-va Akademii nauk Uzbekskoi SSR, Tashkent.
  • Ovczinnikov, P.N. (ed.) (1957). Flora Tadzhikskoi SSR 1: 1-547. Izd-vo Akademii nauk SSSR, Moskva.
  • Roshevitz, R.J. & al. (eds.) (1950). Flora Kirgizskoi SSR 2: 1-315. Frunze : Izd-vo KirgizFAN SSSR.
  • Takhtajan, A.L. (ed.) (2006). Konspekt Flora Kavkaza 2: 1-466. Editio Universitatis Petropolitanae.
  • Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1980). Flora Europaea 5: 1-452. Cambridge University Press.
  • Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2006). Poaceae Flora of China 22: 1-733. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.

GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

Kew Backbone Distributions
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2021. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2021. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

Kew Science Photographs
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