Alaska Oniongrass
Melica subulata (Griseb.) Scribn.
overview
Tufted perennial from short, thick rhizomes that bear clusters of bulb-like stem bases. Stems 30-100 cm tall, spreading-hairy on the leaf bases. Leaves flat, thin 3-7 mm wide, hairy on upper surfaces; no auricles; ligules 1-5 mm long, hairless, split or jagged at tips. Inflorescence is a narrow panicle, 12-20 cm long, the relatively few branches single or in pairs, ascending to erect ; spikelets narrow, 12-20 mm long, loosely 2-5 flowered, tawny or purplish-bronze, with the uppermost floret sterile; glumes narrow, of unequal length, faintly nerved, shorter than the spikelet, the largest about 8 mm long; lemmas sharp-pointed but unawned, 9-13 mm long, seven nerved, hairy on the nerves and margins (Pojar and MacKinnon, 1994).
family
Poaceae
ecological setting
Dry to moist meadows, open to shady slopes from near sea level to middle elevations (Pojar and MacKinnon, 1994).
nutrients
Nitrophitic species preferring base-rich soils (Klinka et al., 1995).
soil reaction salinity
Mildly acidic to moderately alkaline.
moisture regime
Fresh to very moist (Klinka et al., 1995).
shade tolerance
Shade tolerant/shade intolerant (Klinka et al., 1995).
successional status
Climax to late seral species.
landscaping
Attractive shade-tolerant ornamental for borders or containers (S. Bastin, personal communication).
other uses
Bulb-like corm is edible and is said to have a pleasant nutty flavour (Pojar and MacKinnon, 1994).
crop intervals
No information. The following relates to Melica harfordii. Seed is produced in the first growing season and cleans easily off the plant (Rose et al., 1998).
vegetative propagation
Excellent success with plant division in the fall. Divide "bulblets". Best to keep several bulblets together (S. Bastin, personal communication).