Taxonomy
Family: Poaceae
Habitat
Sandy oak savanna, sandy prairie, dry hill prairie.
Associates
In sandy soils with Andropogon scoparius, Artemesia caudata, Asclepias tuberosa, Aster azureus, Aster linariifolius, Carex pennsylvanica, Euphorbia corrolata, Helianthemum canadense, Helianthus divaricatus, Lespedeza capitata, Liatris aspera, Lithospermum croceum, Monarda punctata, Opunita humifusa, Quercus velutina, Rosa carolina, Smilacina stellata, Stipa spartea, Solidago speciosa, Tephrosia virginiana, Tradescantia ohiensis.
Distribution
Widely distributed in North America.
Morphology
Small, perennial bunch grass of dry, often sandy soils. Leaves up to 4 mm and 12 cm long, ridged and rough above and keeled below, glabrous or soft, hairy; sheaths round, split, roughened and usually hairy; ligules 1mm long or less, truncate, usually fringed with hairs. Flowers 2 to 5 per spikelet in a dense, contracted panicle; rachis distinctly pubescent. Spikelets awnless, not in distinct rows along the rachis, all essentially alike; glumes acute, equaling to overtopping the lowest lemma, less than 1cm long, first glume 1-nerved, second glume 3-nerved and wider in the middle. Fully mature spikelets consistently with 2 or more perfect flowers.
Notes
Flowers late May to late July
Wetland indicator: Upland
A cool season grass that starts growing very early in the spring. Plants don't start blooming until they are about 3 years old.
References
Bonneau, André. 2005. Koeleria macrantha
http://www.usask.ca/agriculture/plantsci/classes/range/koeleria.html
Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.
Michael Hough © 2005 |