Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Poales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Melica mutica
FAMILY
Poaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Learn more about Melica from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Melica mutica
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Melica mutica
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 24 (2007)
Melica mutica
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 029-16-001:
Melica mutica FAMILY Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)
Melica mutica
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Melica mutica
COMMON NAME:
Two-flower Melicgrass
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Keith Bradley kab_melica_mutica_3356
March Lancaster County SC
Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve
)
JK Marlow jkm0504r_34b
April Pickens County SC
Table Rock State Park
)
JK Marlow jkm200411_3766
April Greenville County SC
Tall Pines Wildlife Management Area
)
JK Marlow jkm200428_4399
April Pickens County SC
Glassy Mountain Heritage Preserve
Each spikelet ordinarily contains 2 fertile florets, hence the common name, per Atlantic Coastal Plain Wildflowers (Nelson, 2006).
)
Patrick D. McMillan pdmmmutica_echp
April
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JK Marlow s050424_f
April Pickens County SC
Table Rock State Park
Panicle 10-20cm long, nearly simple, with 1-few short, spreading branches, per Manual of the Grasses of the United States (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950).
)
JK Marlow jkm0505e_37
May Oconee County SC
Has a particular affinity to areas where limestone is very near the surface, per Atlantic Coastal Plain Wildflowers (Nelson, 2006).
)
JK Marlow jkm210516_0436
May Greenville County SC
Tall Pines Wildlife Management Area
)
Bill Stringer wcsmelic_shoots
June
Sheaths scabrous or somewhat pubescent; blades flat, 2-5mm wide, per Manual of the Grasses of the United States (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950).
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Bill Stringer wcsmelica_mutica
June
)
Bill Stringer wcsmelica_muticab
June
)
Bill Stringer wcsmelicamutica_close
June
)
Bill Stringer wcsmelicamutica_closeb
June
Spikelets broad, pale, 7-10mm long, the florets spreading, pendulous, per Manual of the Grasses of the United States (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Melica mutica
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Melica mutica
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Melica mutica
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 24
Melica mutica
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 029-16-001:
Melica mutica
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)
Melica mutica
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Melica mutica
1936
Grass, Sedge, or Rush
Perennial
Habitat: Dry to mesic forests and woodlands, including coastal fringe and maritime forests, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Common (uncommon in Coastal Plain of GA & NC)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate, 2-ranked
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Inflorescence a panicle
FRUIT:
Spring/Summer
Grain lustrous yellow to olive
Grain
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Wildflowers (Nelson, 2006) p237
- Manual of the Grasses of the United States (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950) p201
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".