HOW TO KNOW THE GRASSES 



59b. First glume more than half as long as the spikelet; bulbs attached 

 directly to a thick knotty crown. Fig. 93. 



ONIONGRASS 



Melica bulbosa Geyer 



Figure 93 



Perennial; plants 30 — 60 cm. tall; pani- 

 cle narrow and stiff. Leaf sheaths and 

 blades smooth or hairy; blades 2 — 4 mm. 

 wide. This is perhaps the commonest 

 western species in the genus. As the 

 name impUes, the plants usually have 

 prominent bulbs at the bases of the 

 culms. Woods and open slopes. July 

 — August. Forage value good. 



Melica iugax Boland. differs from the 

 above species in having soft, thickish 

 rachilla joints which turn tan and wrin- 

 kle when dried. The rachilla of M. 

 bulbosa is thin, smooth, and white. Pani- 

 cles 8 — 15 cm. long, with short spread- 

 ing or drooping branches. Dry ground, 

 Washington to northern California and 

 Nevada. Good forage for livestock and 

 wild grazing animals. May — June. 



60a. Spikelets with 3 or more fertile florets go back to 59b. 



60b. Spikelets with 1 or 2 fertile florets. Fig. 94. 



Melica imperfecta Trin. 



Perennial; tufted or with decumbent 

 culms; plants 25 — 80 cm. tall, bearing 

 spreading panicles, 5 — 30 cm. long, of 

 numerous small, often purplish spike- 

 lets. In addition to the 1 or 2 fertile 

 florets, there is a slender, yellowish rudi- 

 ment which is 3 — 4 times as long as the 

 very short rachilla joint which bears it. 

 Gravelly soil. Good to excellent for- 

 age. April — May. 



Figure 94 



51 



