Poaceae

Alaska oniongrass

Melica subulata (Griseb.) Scribn.

Family: Poaceae
Genus: Melica

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Alaska oniongrass: Melica subulata typically forms sporadic small patches among the understory of montane forests (Pseudotsuga menziesii or Picea engelmannii). — Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons

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Common names

By language (1)

English: Alaska oniongrass

Synonyms

Bromelica subulata (Griseb.) Farw.
Bromus subulatus Griseb.
Festuca acerosa A.Gray
Melica acuminata Bol.
Melica pammelii Scribn. ex Pammel
Melica poioides var. acuminata (Bol.) Scribn.
Melica subulata var. pammelii (Scribn.) C.L.Hitchc.
Melica subulata var. subulata

Flowers

Flower colour: yellow (USDA PLANTS Database)

Characteristics

Growth habit: Graminoid
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Alaska: native, Canada: native, Lower 48 states: native

Photos

Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Melica

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.