Melica smithii | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Monocots |
(unranked): | Commelinids |
Order: | Poales |
Family: | Poaceae |
Genus: | Melica |
Species: | M. smithii |
Binomial name | |
Melica smithii (Porter ex A. Gray) Vasey |
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Synonyms | |
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Melica smithii (Smith's melic grass) is a species of grass in the Poaceae family that can be found in such Canadian provinces as Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, and the US states such as Idaho, Michigan, Montana, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The species is named after Charles Eastwick Smith.
The species have scabrous leaf-sheaths and leaf-blades, with the last one being lax as well. Both leath-sheaths and blades are 10–20 centimetres (3.9–7.9 in) long and 6–12 millimetres (0.24–0.47 in) wide. It have 12–25 centimetres (4.7–9.8 in) long panicle with solitary branches. They are also distant and naked and sometimes 10 centimetres (3.9 in) reflexed. The species' spikelets have 3-6 flowers, are 18–20 millimetres (0.71–0.79 in) long and are purple in colour.
Can be found deciduous forests amongst beech, maple, and hemlock trees.
In Wisconsin the species is considered to be endangered.