麦氏草属 mai shi cao shu

Moliniopsis Hayata.

Perennial. Culms tufted, internodes unequal, the lowest short, clavately swollen and persisting for several years. Leaves all in lower part of culm, leaf sheaths longer than internodes; leaf blades linear, articulated with sheath; ligule a line of hairs. Inflorescence an open or contracted panicle. Spikelets weakly laterally compressed, florets 2 to several, disarticulating above glumes and between florets; rachilla internodes slender, usually 1/3–1/2 length of lemma; glumes shorter than lowest lemma, 1–3-veined; floret callus truncate, glabrous or bearded; lemmas papery, 3(–5)-veined, glabrous, apex acute; palea almost as long as lemma, keels ciliolate or glabrous.

Two species: one from W Europe to W Siberia, the other in E Asia; one species in China.

The second species in the genus, Molinia caerulea (Linnaeus) Moench, differs in its 1-veined glumes, shorter, glabrous callus, and more prominently veined lemmas. Both species are very variable in habit.

Lower Taxon

• Molinia japonica Hackel