Melica transsilvanica

Appearance

The species is perennial and caespitose with elongated rhizomes. It culms are 40–90 centimetres long with tubular leaf-sheaths which are closed on one of their lengths. Eciliate membrane of the ligule is 0.5 millimetres long. Leaf-blades are convolute and are 10–15 centimetres long by 2–4 millimetres wide. They also have scaberulous surface and are rough on both sides.

The panicle itself is dense, open, linear, and is 4–7 centimetres long by 1.5 centimetres wide. The nodes are whorled and are 3–8 centimetres long. Fertile spikelets are comprised out of 1 fertile floret which is diminished at the apex. They are also pediceled, the pedicels of which are 1–5 millimetres long with spikelerts themselves being oblong and 6 millimetres long.

Fertile lemma is chartaceous, elliptic, keelless and is 5 millimetres long. It margins are ciliated while it apex is obtuse. Sterile florets are barren, clumped, cuneate, and grow 2–3 in number. Both the lower and upper glumes are oblong, keelless, membranous, have erosed apexes, and are 5-veined. Their size is different though; Lower glume is 2–3 millimetres long, while the upper one is 5–6 millimetres long. Palea is 2-veined with flowers being fleshy, oblong and truncate. They also have 2 lodicules, and grow together with their 3 anthers which have fruits that are caryopsis and have an additional pericarp with linear hilum.

Distribution

In central Asia the species is found in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and northern part of Iran. It is also found in Xinjiang, China and Asian part of Russia. In Europe, it is present in such countries as Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, and Switzerland. It subspecies ''Melica transsilvanica transsilvanica'' is found only in Moldova and Ukraine.

Habitat

The species is scattered throughout forested areas where it margins prefer closed vegetation. It grows on limestone, sandstone, basalt, granite, gypsum, porphyry, and talus.It is found on the elevation of 800–2,000 metres on hills, steppes and other dry places.