1. Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) Schult. (June grass, crested hair grass)
Pl. 134
d–f; Map 544
K. cristata (L.) Pers.
K. nitida Nutt.
Plants perennial, with rhizomes lacking or very short,
forming tufts or small clumps. Flowering stems 20–60 cm long, erect, uncommonly
from spreading bases, sometimes slightly swollen at the base, usually hairy
toward the tip and sometimes also with minute hairs at the nodes. Leaf sheaths
rounded on the back, glabrous or more commonly hairy, the ligule 0.3–1.5 mm
long, the margin somewhat uneven and minutely hairy. Leaf blades 2–20 cm long,
1–3 mm wide, flat, folded, or with inrolled margins, glabrous or hairy.
Inflorescences 3–15 cm long, dense, often spikelike panicles with short,
ascending to spreading branches, erect, the main axis densely and finely hairy.
Spikelets 4.5–6.0 mm long, strongly flattened laterally, disarticulating above
the glumes, with 2 perfect florets and rarely with 1 or 2 additional sterile
florets positioned above the perfect ones (toward the spikelet tip), the
rachilla extended past the floret(s) as a slender, roughened bristle, sometimes
with a minute scale at the tip. Glumes sharply pointed at the tip, keeled,
awnless, roughened, sometimes only along the midnerve, unequal to similar in
shape and size, the upper glume generally slightly longer and wider and also
sometimes broadest above the middle. Lower glume 1.9–4.5 mm long, elliptic‑lanceolate,
broadest at or below the middle, sharply pointed at the tip, 1‑nerved.
Upper glume 2.5–5.5 mm long, elliptic‑lanceolate to more commonly
oblanceolate, broadest below or above the middle, 1‑ or 3‑nerved.
Lemmas 2.5–5.2 mm long, elliptic‑lanceolate, sharply pointed at the tip,
5‑nerved, keeled, awnless, roughened, sometimes only along the midnerve,
often shiny, the base glabrous or minutely hairy. Palea 2–5 mm long,
membranous, faintly 2‑nerved. Stamens 3, the anthers 1–2 mm long. Fruits
1.8–3.0 mm long, narrowly elliptic in outline, yellowish brown to reddish
brown, the style base persistent as a short appendage at the tip. 2n=14,
28, 42. May–July.