About Melica smithii (Porter ex A.Gray) Vasey
Melica smithii (Porter ex A.Gray) Vasey has scabrous leaf sheaths and leaf blades; the final leaf blade is additionally lax. Both leaf sheaths and blades measure 10–20 cm (3.9–7.9 in) long and 6–12 mm (0.24–0.47 in) wide. It produces a panicle 12–25 cm (4.7–9.8 in) long, with solitary branches. The branches are spaced apart, naked at the base, and sometimes grow reflexed to up to 10 cm (3.9 in) in length. The species' spikelets hold 3–6 flowers, measure 18–20 mm (0.71–0.79 in) long, and are purple in colour. It occurs in deciduous forests growing among beech, maple, and hemlock trees.
