Calamagrostis matsumurae ("Mutsunogariyasu")

Japanese name: ムツノガリヤス （陸奥野刈安）
Scientific name: Calamagrostis matsumurae

[Overview]
A perennial 0.5–1.2 m tall, found in alpine and mountain areas.
It has rhizomes.
The stem is upright and somewhat thick, with a slightly swollen base covered with scale leaves.
The scale leaves are triangular to oblong, thick and glossy, and do not become fibrous even when old.
There are few leaves at the base of the stem; they are linear, 10–30 cm long and 0.3–0.8 cm wide, with a rough upper surface.
The leaf sheath is hairless.
An upright panicle 7–15 cm long is produced at the stem tip, densely bearing many spikelets.
The inflorescence branches are rough.
The spikelets are broadly lanceolate, 0.3–0.5 cm long, pale green or tinged slightly purple, and consist of 1 floret.
At the base of the floret are hairs 1/2–1/3 the length of the lemma.
There are 2 glumes, about the same length as the spikelet, and smooth.
The lemma is slightly shorter than the glumes and has no awn.

View this page in Japanese (日本語)