GTS 

 (leaf 2) 



MELICGRASSES AND ONIONGRASSES 



Me'Iica spp. 



The melicgrasses, known individually as melics, a group of peren- 

 nials belonging to the fescue tribe (Festuoeae), are closely related 

 to the bluegrasses, bromegrasses, and fescues. Melica, an old Ital- 

 ian and late Latin name for sorghum, is probably a derivative of 

 the Greek mcli (honey), melikcrion (honeycomb), and m'eWcos 

 (melic, i. e., lyric, or "sweet-singing" poetry). The name, no doubt, 

 refers to the sweet juice or sirup which the ancient Greeks, so the 

 story goes, obtained from one of the Old World species. Linnaeus 

 later applied the name to this genus of grasses. About 60 species 

 of melicgrasses are widely distributed throughout the temperate 

 regions of the world ; 17 occur ill the United States, with the center 

 of distribution in California, where 13 species appear. 



The melicgrasses grow at all elevations from sea level up to 10,000 

 feet, throughout mountain meadows, parks, timbered areas, and 

 brushlands. They usually grow scatteringly in mixed grass-weed 

 types, being commonly associated with bromegrasses, wheatgrasses, 

 sedges, pentstemons, mountain-dandelions and bluebells. These 

 species are seldom abundant and probably never become dominant 

 in any association. Some of the melicgrasses are widely distributed ; 

 others occur rather locally. Oniongrass (M. bulbosa) is probably 

 the most widely distributed of the western species. Yosemite onion- 

 grass (M. inflata) has a very narrow range, occurring only in Cal- 

 ifornia. Although most species prefer the more moist and fertile 

 soils of the slopes and timbered areas, some are found on the drier, 

 infertile, open side hills, and a few occur even on moist meadows 

 or along stream banks. 



California melic (M. imper/ec'tcn) extends from central California 

 to Lower California and perhaps also into western Arizona, growing 

 from sea level to elevations of 6,500 feet. Although its favored home 

 is the open foothills in pine and chaparral types, this plant also 

 thrives on moist shaded sites, and is occasionally fairly abundant 

 on shallow, infertile soils. In California this species produces a 

 greater amount of forage than any other melicgrass. 2 It is rated as 

 good to excellent forage for all classes of livestock. Horses and cat- 

 tle crop the leafage season long and are especially fond of the flower 

 stalks and heads, but sheep usually do not graze the foliage much 

 until late fall. This plant has strong seed habits, producing a rela- 

 tively large quantity of fertile seed. 



Most melicgrasses are of secondary importance as forage species 

 since they occur only scatteringly on the range. However, the herb- 

 age of most species is relished by all classes of livestock, as well as by 

 elk, and deer often crop these grasses lightly. Several species, 

 including oniongrass, showy oniongrass, or melic (M. spectaibilis), 

 and little oniongrass (M. fugo)x}, rank as good to excellent forage 

 for cattle and horses, and good for sheep and elk. Oniongrass and 



2 Sampson, A. W., and Chase, A. RANGE GRASSES OP CALIFORNIA. Calif. Aer. Expt. 

 Sta. Kull. 430, 94 pp., illus. 1927. 



