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- Dichotomous Key
- Poaceae
- Poaceae Group 4
- Molinia
- Molinia caerulea
Molinia caerulea — purple moorgrass
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New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Facts
Purple moorgrass has been found in all New England states except New Hampshire, in fields, roadsides and open areas. Its species and common names refer to the deep blue-purple color of its inflorescence, anthers, and late-season leaves. Native to temperate zones of Eurasia, it is the only member of its genus in North America.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Leaf blade width
- 2–10 mm
- Inflorescence branches
- the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence
- Spikelet length
- 4–9 mm
- Glume relative length
- neither glume is quite as long as all of the florets
- Awn on glume
- the glume has no awn
- One or more florets
- there is more than one floret per spikelet
- Lemma awn length
- 0 mm
- Anther length
- 1.5–3 mm
-
Flowers
- Anther length
- 1.5–3 mm
- Anther number
- 3
- Awn on glume
- the glume has no awn
- Floret lower bract texture
- the lemma is thin and flexible
- Floret number
- 3
- Glume relative length
- neither glume is quite as long as all of the florets
- Glume veins
-
- 1
- 3
- 5
- Glumes per spikelet
- 2
- Inflorescence arrangement
- the spikelets are uniform
- Inflorescence axis orientation
-
- the inflorescence axis is arched or curved outward
- the inflorescence axis is straight
- Inflorescence branches
- the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence
- Inflorescence length
- 50–400 mm
- Inflorescence type (general)
- the spikelets are borne on stalks or on branches
- Inflorescence type (specific)
- the inflorescence is branched, and the branches do NOT both grow from the same side of the plant AND look like spikes
- Inforescence position
- the spikelets are mainly carried at the end of the stem
- Lemma awn base
- NA
- Lemma awn coiled
- NA
- Lemma awn length
- 0 mm
- Lemma awn number
- the lemma has no awn
- Lemma awn orientation
- NA
- Lemma base hairs
-
- the lemma has hairs at the base
- the lemma is hairless or feels just a tiny bit rough at the base
- Lemma base length
- 0.1–0.3 mm
- Lemma cross-section
- the lemma is flat or rounded if you cut across the midpoint
- Lemma hairs
- the lemma is hairless between the veins
- Lemma keel hairs
- NA
- Lemma marginal vein hairs
- the marginal vein of the lemma is hairless
- Lemma surface
- the surface of the lemma is relatively smooth (not counting any longitudinal veins or hairs)
- Lemma tip
- the lemma tip is a simple point, with or without an awn (long narrow extension ending in a point)
- Lemma tip shape
-
- the lemma tip tapers to a broad point (it may or may not also have an awn or teeth at the tip)
- the lemma tip tapers to a narrow point (it may or may not also have an awn or teeth at the tip)
- Lemma vein number
-
- 3
- 5
- Lower glume length
- 1.5–2.5 mm
- Lower glume relative length
- the lower glume is one third to three quarters as long as the upper glume
- One or more florets
- there is more than one floret per spikelet
- Palea relative length
- palea is one half to fully as long as lemma
- Spikelet axis tip
- there is an extension of the spikelet axis beyond the tip of the spikelet
- Spikelet disintegration
- the spikelet breaks off above the glumes, so that after the florets fall off, the glumes remain
- Spikelet length
- 4–9 mm
- Spikelets spiny
- the spikelets do not appear spiny
- Upper glume length
- 2–3 mm
-
Growth form
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Rhizomes
- no
-
Leaves
- Leaf auricles
- the leaves do not have auricles
- Leaf blade width
- 2–10 mm
- Leaf ligule type
- the leaf ligule is in the form of fine hairs
- Leaf sheath hairs
-
- there are hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
- there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Plant height
- 15–250 cm
- Stem orientation
- the stems are upright
- Stem spacing
- the stems grow close together in compact clusters or tufts
Wetland status
Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- not applicable (S-rank: SNA)
Native to North America?
No
Sometimes confused with
- Glyceria melicaria:
- leaf sheaths closed and fused at the margins, ligule a membrane, and lemmas with 5 or more veins (vs. M. caerulea, with leaf sheaths open and not fused at the margins, ligule a band of hairs, and lemmas with three veins).
Synonyms
- Aira caerulea L.
Family
Genus
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
1. Molinia caerulea (L.) Moench E
purple moorgrass. Aira caerulea L. • CT, MA, ME, RI, VT. Fields, roadsides, and other open areas.