Meliceae

Distinguishing characteristics

Members of the Meliceae have closed leaf sheaths; lemma veins that do not or only scarcely converge distally; and short, truncate, lodicules. They differ from Bromeae, another tribe with closed leaf sheaths, in their glabrous ovaries as well as their lemma venation and short short lodicules. They also differ from other members of the Pooideae in having chromosome base numbers of 9, 10, and 8.

Geography and ecology

The Meliceae are most abundant in temperate regions of Eurasia but are also well represented in temperate regions of North and South America but there are great differences between the genera. Glyceria and* Pleuropogon* grow in wet areas, often in standing water; Melica and Schizachne tend to grow in dry, well-drained sites.

Economic importance

Members of the Meliceae have little economic importance. A few species of both Melica and Glyceria are grown as ornamentals; more merit consideration but caution should be used. Some species of Glyceria, notably G. declinata, are invasive.

References

References

1. (May 2008). "Large multi-gene phylogenetic trees of the grasses (Poaceae): progress towards complete tribal and generic level sampling". Mol. Phylogenet. Evol..
2. Tsvelev, N.N. 2006. Synopsis of the mannagrass genus, ''Glyceria'' (Poaceae). Bot. Zhurn. (Moscow and Leningrad). 2006. 91(2):255–276
3. (2017). "A worldwide phylogenetic classification of the Poaceae (Gramineae) II: An update and a comparison of two 2015 classifications". Journal of Systematics and Evolution.