Silky-spike melic is a species of grass well-known for its spikes adorned with silky flowers. This clump-forming grass is a popular ornamental and is ideally suited to a small or gravel garden.

A clumping perennial grass, rough melic has been given the species name scabrosa, meaning "rough," due to the scratchy texture of its flowers and seed heads. It is a host plant for brown leaf spot fungus, which is a concern as it could jump to cultivated plants if it grows near them. Unlike most grasses, its small, papery flowers are purple instead of dull brown.

Wood melick is a showy ornamental perennial grass that is utilized in cottage gardens for borders and edging, usually blooming during the summer. Wood melick is noted for slowly growing in clumps.

Mountain melick is often used in containers and city gardens. It is a deciduous perennial grass that grows naturally in shaded areas at elevation. This grass has a spreading nature and is easy to care for.

Smallflower melicgrass (Melica imperfecta) is a perennial bunchgrass found in parts of North America, including Nevada, Arizona, California, and Baja California. It is occasionally cultivated ornamentally for natural landscape or habitat gardens. Smallflower melicgrass tolerates drought well. If given enough water it will remain green, but if not it will yellow at the height of summer.

The high pearl grass is persistent and has long underground runners; the stalks reach heights of 40 to 150 cm. The leaves are 5 to 15 mm wide and flat; the ligule is ovate and 3 to 5 mm long. Characteristic of the species is the dense panicle, which is 10 to 20 cm long and is often somewhat interrupted at the bottom. The spike hairs of the stalks are rough below the panicle.

California melicgrass is a dense, clustering grass is extremely widespread along the western coast of North America. Thanks to its tufty and elegant, swooping nature, its has become a popular choice for gardeners. It is a lovely addition to rock gardens, borders, or as an accent piece and works well in cut flower arrangements as well.

The species is perennial and caespitose with elongated rhizomes. Its culms are 45 to 100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths are tubular and scaberulous while its eciliate membrane is 0.5 to 1 mm long.

The species is cespitose and perennial with the culms being 40 to 80 cm long. Leaf-sheaths are closed, tubular and scabrous with eciliate membrane being 1 to 2.5 mm long. The leaf-blades are pilose and rough. They are also hairy and have scabrous margins and surface with acuminate apex.

Melica subulata is a rhizomatous perennial grass with clustered onionlike corms at the base of each stem. It grows to a maximum height near 1.3 meters. The inflorescence is a narrow or spreading panicle of cylindrical, pointed spikelets which may be nearly 3 cm long.

The species is perennial and have elongated rhizomes. It culms are 75–110 centimetres (30–43 in) long. The species leaf-sheaths are tubular and smooth with one of their length being closed. It eciliate membrane is 0.5–1 millimetre (0.020–0.039 in) long and is truncate. They also have flat leaf-blades which are 20–35 millimetres (0.79–1.38 in) long by 3.5–11 millimetres (0.14–0.43 in) wide and have scaberulous and hispid surface. Both the leaf-sheaths and leaf-blades have glabrous surface. The panicle itself is open and is 30–35 centimetres (12–14 in) long with the main branches being distant from each other and are 7–12 centimetres (2.8–4.7 in) long. The spikelets themselves are solitary and oblong and are made out of 2 fertile florets that are 6.5–8 millimetres (0.26–0.31 in) long. Fertile spikelets are pediceled and have rhachilla stems that are 2 millimetres (0.079 in) long. Florets are diminished at the apex. Its lemma have scaberulous surface and emarginated apex with fertile lemma being chartaceous elliptic, keelless, and 4.5–5.5 millimetres (0.18–0.22 in) long. Both the lower and upper glumes are elliptic, keelless, membranous, and have acute apexes. Their size is different; Lower glume is 2.5–3.3 millimetres (0.098–0.130 in) long while the upper one is 4–5 millimetres (0.16–0.20 in) long. Palea is 2-veined. Flowers are fleshy, oblong, truncate, have 2 lodicules, and grow together. They have 3 anthers which are 0.8–1.5 millimetres (0.031–0.059 in) long with fruits that are caryopsis and have an additional pericarp with linear hilum.

Torrey's melicgrass is a perennial grass native to North America, thriving in open woodlands and rocky slopes. It features a clumping growth habit with slender, upright stems up to 3 feet tall. Torrey's melicgrass's narrow leaves are predominantly basal, providing a tufted appearance. In late spring to early summer, delicate, nodding spikelets appear, giving rise to its delicate aesthetic. This plant's resilience to drought reflects its adaptation to less fertile, dry soils.

Rock melicgrass is an upright, clumping perennial grass, boasting narrow, arching green leaves that lend a fine-textured look. Its standout feature is the elegant, plume-like flower spikes which emerge in late spring, swaying gently above the foliage in the breeze, and offering a delicate visual appeal. Typically thriving in open woodlands, rock melicgrass adapts well to various light conditions, contributing to its resilience and charm in naturalistic landscapes.

This perennial grass has short rhizomes and sometimes forms bunches. The stems grow up to 1.3 meters tall. The inflorescence is a branching panicle of spikelets. Despite its name, the grass has spikelets with two to four flowers each, often two.