Melinis nerviglumis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mountain red top | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Habit in South Africa | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Subfamily: | Panicoideae |
| Genus: | Melinis |
| Species: | M. nerviglumis |
| Binomial name | |
| Melinis nerviglumis | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Melinis nerviglumis is a species of grass known by the common names mountain red top or bristle-leaved red top. The Latin name refers to the veined glume.[2] It is native from tropical to southern Africa, the western Indian Ocean islands, and Indochina.[2] It is cultivated as a garden ornamental due to its colourful purple flowers.[3] The flowers are produced in summer and fade to white as they mature. By this time the seeds can be harvested for new plantings.
A dense tufted grass that has unbranched culms. The culms are flexible and have hanging inflorescences. Leaves are blue-green rolled and usually concentrated at the base. It grows in gravely soils in stable velds and flowers throughout the year but mostly in summer.[4]
