Calamovilfa gigantea

(Nutt.) Scribn. & Merr.
Common names: Giant sandreed
Endemic
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 25. Treatment on page 141.

Rhizomes elongate, covered with shiny, coriaceous, scalelike leaves. Culms to 2.5 m. Sheaths entirely glabrous or pubescent at the throat; ligules 0.7-2 mm; blades to 90 cm long, about 12 mm wide. Panicles 20-80 cm long, 20-60 cm wide; branches to 35 cm, ascending to strongly divergent, lowermost branches sometimes reflexed. Spikelets 7-10.8 mm. Glumes straight; lower glumes 4.5-10.5 mm; upper glumes 6.4-10.1 mm; callus hairs 1/4 - 3/4 as long as the lemma; lemmas 6-10 mm, straight, pubescent, sometimes sparsely so, very rarely glabrous; paleas 6-8.3 mm, pubescent or glabrous; anthers 3-5.5 mm. 2n = 60.

Distribution

Kans., Okla., Colo., N.Mex., Tex., Utah, Nebr., Ariz.

Discussion

Calamovilfa gigantea grows on sand dunes, prairies, river banks, and flood plains in the Rocky Mountains and central plains from Utah and Nebraska to Arizona and Texas.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.