Koelaria macrantha (L.) Pers. - June Grass


 

|  back  | forward |

Koelaria macrantha - (image 1 of 6)

 

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.

 


Home

 

 Michael Hough © 2005