北臭草 bei chou cao

Melica uniflora Retzius f. glabra Papp, Acad. Romana, Mem. Sect. Sti., ser. 3, 12: 251. 1937.

Plants tufted. Culms slender, basal internodes swollen, 40–60 cm tall. Leaf sheaths glabrous; leaf blades flat, 4–15 cm × 1–3 mm, glabrous or adaxial surface pubescent, transverse veinlets present; ligule 0.5–1.5 mm. Panicle racemelike, 5–6 cm, erect; spikelets 3–4; pedicels 0.4–1.5 cm, scabrid. Spikelets ca. 7 mm, glumes purplish red, florets green, fertile florets 2, terminal sterile lemmas gathered into clavate cluster; glumes unequal, lanceolate, lower glume 4.5–5.5 mm, upper glume 6.5–7.5 mm, 5-veined, acute; lemmas ovate-lanceolate, lowest ca. 6.5 mm, 7-veined; palea keels ciliolate. Fr. Jul.

* Open Larix forests, grassy mountain slopes; 500–2000 m. Jilin (Changbai Shan), Shanxi (Ningwu).

This little-known species is based on an over-mature specimen in which the florets have been shed. It appears close to Melica grandiflora, but is excluded from that species by the unequal, acute glumes. The type has not been seen, but is reported to have swollen basal internodes, which are not otherwise found in E Asian Melica species. A second gathering cited in the protologue is a specimen of M. turczaninowiana.