Melica porteri facts for kids

Melica porteri, also known as Porter's melicgrass, is a type of grass found in the United States and Mexico. In the US, you can find it growing in states like Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and Iowa.

What Does Porter's Melicgrass Look Like?

Porter's melicgrass is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for many years. It grows in clumps and has short underground stems called rhizomes. Its thin stems usually grow to be about 50 to 100 centimeters (about 20 to 40 inches) tall.

The bases of its leaves wrap around the stem like a tube. These leaf bases are smooth or slightly rough, and they are closed for most of their length. At the base of the leaf, there's a small, thin flap that is smooth or slightly hairy. The leaf blades themselves are 2 to 5 millimeters wide and can be smooth or a bit rough to the touch.

Its Flowers and Seeds

The plant's flower cluster, called a panicle, is long and open, often bending over. It measures about 13 to 25 centimeters (about 5 to 10 inches) long. The main branches of this flower cluster are pressed close to the stem, and the small flower groups, called spikelets, hang downwards by themselves.

Each spikelet contains 4 to 5 tiny, fertile flowers called florets. These florets are oval-shaped and about 8 to 15 millimeters long. They grow on thin stalks called pedicels. The florets get smaller towards the tip and have both male and female parts.

The outer part of the floret, called a lemma, is tough, oval-shaped, and about 6 to 8 millimeters long. It has a slightly wrinkled surface and a blunt tip. At the base of each spikelet are two protective leaves called glumes. These glumes are thin and oval-shaped, measuring about 4 to 8 millimeters long. The lower glume is about 2.7 to 4 millimeters long, while the upper one is slightly longer, about 3 to 4.5 millimeters. Another part of the floret, called the palea, has tiny hairs along its edges and two veins.

The flowers have two small, fleshy parts called lodicules, and three pollen-producing parts called anthers, which are about 2 millimeters long. The fruit of Porter's melicgrass is a type of grain called a caryopsis, which is 2 to 3 millimeters long.

Where Does Porter's Melicgrass Grow?

You can often find Melica porteri growing on rocky slopes, in open wooded areas, and frequently near streams. It prefers these types of habitats where it can get enough moisture and sunlight.