| Melica | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Melica ciliata | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Subfamily: | Pooideae |
| Supertribe: | Melicodae |
| Tribe: | Meliceae |
| Genus: | Melica L. |
| Species | |
See text | |
Melica is a genus of perennial grasses known generally as melic or melic grass. They are found in most temperate regions of the world. [1]
Melic grasses are clumping to short-rhizomatous grasses. They have flowering culms up to 250 cm (98 in) tall bearing spikelets of papery flowers. The spikelets have between one and seven fertile flowers with a rudimentary structure at the distal end composed of one to four sterile florets. [1] Some species of melic have corms, lending them the name oniongrass. [2]
The genus is most diverse in South America and temperate Asia. [3] Eight species are endemic to China. [4] In North America, most species occur west of the Mississippi River, with exceptions being Melica mutica and M. nitens which occur throughout much of the southeast and lower Midwest respectively. [1] [5]