View in other NatureServe Network Field Guides
NatureServe
Montana
Utah
Wyoming
Idaho
Wisconsin
British Columbia
South Carolina
Yukon
California
New York
Alaskan Oniongrass - Melica subulata
Native Species
Global Rank:
G5
State Rank:
S3S4
(see State Rank Reason below)
C-value:
Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS:
BLM:
External Links
State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
Melica subulata is scattered throughout central and western Montana. It grows in meadows, harvest units, in open forests, and along creeks and ditches. It is tolerant of disturbances associated with roads, trails, and forestry prescriptions, but also is found in undisturbed habitats.
- Details on Status Ranking and Review
Range Extent
ScoreF - 20,000-200,000 sq km (~8,000-80,000 sq mi)
Area of Occupancy
ScoreE - 26-125 4-km2 grid cells
Number of Populations
ScoreC - 21 - 80
Number of Occurrences or Percent Area with Good Viability / Ecological Integrity
ScoreB - Very few (1-3) occurrences with excellent or good viability or ecological integrity
Environmental Specificity
ScoreD - Broad. Generalist or community with all key requirements common
Threats
ScoreD - Low
CommentNo known threats.
General Description
PLANTS: Stems 60–120 cm tall, loosely bunched (caespitose) or in patches (rhizomatous). Most stems develop from a corm base, whereby corms attach to the rhizomes (Lesica et al. 2012).
LEAVES: Blades 2–10 mm wide with ligules 1–4 mm long (Lesica et al. 2012).
INFLORESCENCE: A narrow panicle or raceme, 10–25 cm long, and with few branches (Lesica et al. 2012).
Species Range
Montana Range
Range Descriptions
Native
Range Comments
AK to CA, east to WY.
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 177
(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version)
Map Help and Descriptions
Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
Reproductive Characteristics
Spikelets 10–20 mm long and comprised of 4 to 8 florets. Lemmas: mostly awn-tipped (Lesica et al. 2012); 5.5-18 mm long, strongly tapering to the acuminate tips, and often strigose over the prominent 7-9 veins with hairs becoming longer toward the base (FNA 2007). Paleas: one-half to one-third the length of the lemmas (FNA 2007). Glumes: lower glume may be shorter than the upper glume, 4-11.5 mm, and mostly 3-5 veined (FNA 2007).
Stewardship Responsibility
References
- Literature Cited AboveLegend:
View Online Publication- Flora of North America Editorial Committee. 2007. Flora of North America North of Mexico. Vol. 24. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, part 1. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxviii + 911 pp.
- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 771 p.
- Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?
Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants, Second Edition. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 779 p.
- Web Search Engines for Articles on "Alaskan Oniongrass"
