Melica nitens

Classification	Monocots
Family	Poaceae
Family (Traditional)	Poaceae
Genus	Melica
Species:	Melica nitens (Scribn.) Nutt. ex Piper
Common Name	Threeflower Melicgrass
Growth Habit	graminoid
Plant Notes	**
Characteristics	Armaments: No; Milky Sap: No; Photosynthetic: Yes; Stipules: No; Woody Herbaceous: Herbaceous; Duration: Perennial; General Ecology: Terrestrial; Growth Habit: graminoid; Moisture Requirements: Xeric; Moisture Requirements: Sub-xeric; Moisture Requirements: Dry-mesic; Region of Origin: North America; Reproductive Phenology: April; Reproductive Phenology: May; Reproductive Phenology: June; Leaf Arrangement: alternate; Leaf Arrangement: basal; Leaf Complexity: simple; Leaf Dissection: 0; Leaf Persistance: Deciduous; Leaf Petiole Type: sessile; Leaf Type: grass-like; Leaf Venation: parallel; Leaflet Margins: entire; Leaflet Number: 0; Base Flower Color: Brown (incl. Maroon); Base Flower Color: Green; Fruit Dehiscence: No; Fruit Type: Caryopsis; Fruit Type: Grain; Fruit Wet/Dry: Dry; Hypanthium Present: No; Ovary Position: Superior; Overall Flower Symmetry: N/A; Perianth Present: No; Placentation Type: Parietal; Placentation Type: Basal; Sporangium Arrangement: N/A
C value	8
Status	Native; TN[SNR] KY[S3S4] (State Rank); G5 (Global Rank)
Specimen(s)	View and Download Specimen Details »

** Not applicable or data not available.

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Species Distribution Map

This species has been reported in the counties highlighted in the interactive distribution map below. Click on a county to display the its name. Click the question mark icon () to view additional information about the ecoregions shown. In the map legend, there are links to toggle the visibility of the ecoregions and/or their labels. In addition, clicking on an ecoregion name will highlight that region on the map.

State Boundaries
Counties
Counties - Species Present

Ecoregions

Southeastern Plains
- Blackland Prarie
Blue Ridge Mountains
Ridge and Valley
Cumberland Plateau
Cumberland Mountains
Allegheny Plateau

Interior Plateau
- Bluegrass Region
- Nashville Basin
- Pennyroyal Karst Plain
- Western Highland Rim
- Eastern Highland Rim

Interior River Valleys and Hills
- Shawnee / Caseyville Hills
Mississippi Alluvial Plain
Mississippi Valley Loess Plains
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Synonyms

Synonym	Full Citation
Melica diffusa var. nitens	Melica diffusa var. nitens

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort.

Counties included on distribution map: Adair (KY), Crittenden (KY), Estill (KY), Franklin (KY), Jefferson (KY), Jessamine (KY), Livingston (KY), Rockcastle (KY), Todd (KY), Trigg (KY), Warren (KY), Marshall (TN), Putnam (TN), Rutherford (TN)

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: APSC, BEREA, EKY, MEM, TENN, UCHT, VDB

Range of years during which specimens were collected: 1970 - 2009

Accession No. (click for full details)	County	State	Coll. Date	Collector & Collection No.	Herbarium & Herbarium Name Used
31234100140688	Trigg	Kentucky	14 May 1986	Raymond Athey 5146	EKY Melica nitens
UCHT006462	Marshall	Tennessee			UCHT Melica nitens
31234100140647	Estill	Kentucky	31 May 1990	Julian Campbell	EKY Melica nitens
BEREA006584	Rockcastle	Kentucky			BEREA Melica nitens
BRIT182101		Tennessee			VDB Melica nitens
BRIT184024		Tennessee			VDB Melica nitens
31234100140498	Adair	Kentucky	24 Apr 1988	Bruce Hoagland 32	EKY Melica nitens
BEREA006586	Trigg	Kentucky			BEREA Melica nitens
APSC0043497	Franklin	Kentucky	01 Jun 2006	Dwayne Estes	APSC Melica nitens
APSC0094953	Warren	Kentucky			APSC Melica nitens
BRIT182105		Tennessee			VDB Melica nitens
31234100140654	Estill	Kentucky	31 May 1990	Julian Campbell	EKY Melica nitens
BEREA006585	Rockcastle	Kentucky			BEREA Melica nitens
APSC0101601	Jessamine	Kentucky			APSC Melica nitens
APSC0043495	Marshall	Tennessee			APSC Melica nitens
APSC0043499	Trigg	Kentucky			APSC Melica nitens
APSC0064826	Todd	Kentucky	01 May 2009	Dwayne Estes	APSC Melica nitens
BRIT184027		Tennessee			VDB Melica nitens
APSC0094712	Jefferson	Kentucky			APSC Melica nitens
APSC0043500	Putnam	Tennessee			APSC Melica nitens
BRIT182103		Tennessee			VDB Melica nitens
BRIT182104		Tennessee			VDB Melica nitens
UCHT043732	Warren	Kentucky			UCHT Melica nitens
31234100140662	Jessamine	Kentucky	25 May 1984	J. Campbell s.n.	EKY Melica nitens
TENN-V-0036630	Franklin	Kentucky			TENN Melica nitens
APSC0064823	Rutherford	Tennessee			APSC Melica nitens
MEM008439	Crittenden	Kentucky	14 May 1974	Raymond Athey 2716	MEM Melica nitens
BRIT182102		Tennessee			VDB Melica nitens
MEM005515	Livingston	Kentucky	17 May 1970	Raymond Athey 897	MEM Melica nitens

View a List of All Ecological Communities

Melica nitens

Related Links

Species Distribution Map

Ecoregions

Synonyms

Specimens and Distribution

Plant Photos