Oniongrass facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oniongrass
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Poaceae
Subfamily:	Pooideae
Genus:	Melica
Species:	M. bulbosa
Binomial name
Melica bulbosa Geyer ex Porter & J.M.Coult.
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Melica bulbosa is a type of grass often called oniongrass. It gets this name because of its special root part, called a corm, which looks a bit like a small onion. But don't be fooled – it's not related to the onions you eat! This interesting grass grows naturally in western North America. You can find it from British Columbia in Canada, through the Rocky Mountains, and down to California in the United States. It might even grow as far east as Texas.

Discovering Oniongrass

Oniongrass is a fascinating plant. It's a perennial grass, which means it lives for more than two years. It grows from special underground stems called rhizomes. These rhizomes help the plant spread and grow new shoots.

Where Oniongrass Grows

You can find oniongrass in many different places. It likes to grow in mountain forests and woods. It also thrives on open hillsides where it can get plenty of sunlight. Sometimes, you'll spot it along the banks of streams. This shows it can adapt to various environments.

What Oniongrass Looks Like

Oniongrass forms a loose group of stems. These stems can grow quite tall, sometimes reaching up to one meter (about 3 feet). At the very bottom of each stem, you'll find a cluster of white corms. These are the "onion-like" parts that give the grass its common name.

The plant's flowers grow in a special cluster called an inflorescence. This part looks like a narrow or spreading series of small, bullet-shaped parts called spikelets. Each spikelet is striped with pretty purple and green colors.