Difference between revisions of "Sporobolus junceus"
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==Taxonomic Notes== | ==Taxonomic Notes== | ||
| − | Synonym(s): ''S. gracilis'' | + | Synonym(s): ''S. gracilis'' (Trinius) Merrill |
==Description== <!-- Basic life history facts such as annual/perrenial, monoecious/dioecious, root morphology, seed type, etc. --> | ==Description== <!-- Basic life history facts such as annual/perrenial, monoecious/dioecious, root morphology, seed type, etc. --> | ||
| − | ''Sporobolus junceus'' is a monoecious perennial graminoid.<ref name="USDA"/> | + | ''Sporobolus junceus'' is a monoecious perennial graminoid.<ref name="USDA"/> |
| + | |||
| + | ''Sporobolus junceus'' does not have specialized underground storage units apart from its fibrous roots.<ref name="Diaz"> Diaz-Toribio, M.H. and F. E. Putz 2021. Underground carbohydrate stores and storage organs in fire-maintained longleaf pine savannas in Florida, USA. American Journal of Botany 108: 432-442.</ref> Diaz-Toribio and Putz (2021) recorded this species to have a water content of 39.5% (ranking 94 out of 100 species studied).<ref name="Diaz"/> | ||
| + | |||
| + | The plant can reach upwards of 100cm in height while blooming and usually has long wiry leaf blades. The flowers are pyramidal or cone shaped spikelet bundles on reddish-brown stems that go through color phases of green, purple, and bronze as they mature.<ref>Denhof, Carol. 2013. Understory Plant Spotlight Pineywoods Dropseed Sporobolus junceus (P. Beauv.) Kunth. The Longleaf Leader. Vol. VI. Iss. 3. Page 9</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | According to Diaz-Torbio and Putz (2021), ''Sporobolus junceus'' has fibrous roots with a below-ground to above-ground biomass ratio of 0.693 and nonstructural carbohydrate concentration of 22 mg g<sup>-1</sup>.<ref>Diaz‐Toribio, M. H. and F. E. Putz. 2021. Underground carbohydrate stores and storage organs in fire‐maintained longleaf pine savannas in Florida, USA. American Journal of Botany 108(3):432-442.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
==Distribution== | ==Distribution== | ||
This species is found in southeastern Virginia, south to Florida and westward to southeastern Oklahoma and Texas.<ref name="Weakley 2015"/> | This species is found in southeastern Virginia, south to Florida and westward to southeastern Oklahoma and Texas.<ref name="Weakley 2015"/> | ||
| Line 29: | Line 36: | ||
==Ecology== | ==Ecology== | ||
===Habitat=== <!--Natural communities, human disturbed habitats, topography, hydrology, soils, light, fire regime requirements for removal of competition, etc.--> | ===Habitat=== <!--Natural communities, human disturbed habitats, topography, hydrology, soils, light, fire regime requirements for removal of competition, etc.--> | ||
| − | ''S. junceus'' | + | ''S. junceus'' has been found in open pinelands, scrub barrens, longleaf pine-saw palmetto flatwoods, pine barrens, calcareous glades, pine-wiregrass woods, open oak woods, turkey oak flatwoods, and deciduous oak ridges.<ref name="FSU"> Florida State University Herbarium Database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: June 2021. Collectors: George R. Cooley, A. H. Curtiss, Richard J. Eaton, Robert K. Godfrey, R. Kral, John B. Nelson, R. S. Mitchell, Gwynn W. Ramsey, and Allen G. Shuey. States and counties: Florida: Bay, Calhoun, Duval, Gadsden, Levy, Manatee, and Suwannee.</ref> It is also found in disturbed areas including burned pinelands and logged/cattle-grazed pinelands<ref name="FSU"/> and is frequent and abundant in the Peninsula Xeric Sandhills and North Florida Subxeric Sandhills community types as described in Carr et al. (2010).<ref>Carr, S.C., K.M. Robertson, and R.K. Peet. 2010. A vegetation classification of fire-dependent pinelands of Florida. Castanea 75:153-189.</ref> |
| + | |||
| + | ''S. junceus'' can become one of the more dominant grasses.<ref name="Shepherd et al 2012"/> It appears to be rather shade tolerant since its coverage is not correlated with longleaf pine stand density.<ref name="Harrington 2006">Harrington T. B. (2006). Plant competition, facilitation, and other overstorey-understory interactions in longleaf pine ecosystems. In: Jose S., Jokela E. J., and Miller D. L. (eds) The longleaf pine ecosystem: ecology, silviculture, and restoration. Springer, New York, pp. 135-156.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''S. junceus'' reduced its occurrence in response to soil disturbance by agriculture in South Carolina's traditionally longleaf communities, making it a remnant woodland indicator species.<ref>Brudvig, L.A. and E.I. Damchen. (2011). Land-use history, historical connectivity, and land management interact to determine longleaf pine woodland understory richness and composition. Ecography 34: 257-266.</ref><ref>Brudvig, L.A., E Grman, C.W. Habeck, and J.A. Ledvina. (2013). Strong legacy of agricultural land use on soils and understory plant communities in longleaf pine woodlands. Forest Ecology and Management 310: 944-955.</ref> ''S. junceus'' also decreased its occurrence in response to soil disturbance by agriculture in southwest Georgia.<ref>Kirkman, L.K., K.L. Coffey, R.J. Mitchell, and E.B. Moser. Ground Cover Recovery Patterns and Life-History Traits: Implications for Restoration Obstacles and Opportunities in a Species-Rich Savanna. (2004). Journal of Ecology 92(3):409-421.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | It decreased its occurrence or was unaffected in response to soil disturbance by roller chopping in south Florida habitat.<ref>Lewis, C.E. (1970). Responses to Chopping and Rock Phosphate on South Florida Ranges. Journal of Range Management 23(4):276-282.</ref> It does not respond to soil disturbance by clearcutting and chopping in north Florida flatwoods forests.<ref>Moore, W.H., B.F. Swindel, and W.S. Terry. (1982). Vegetative Response to Clearcutting and Chopping in a North Florida Flatwoods Forest. Journal of Range Management 35(2):214-218.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Associated species: ''Phoebanthus, Liatris,'' and ''Chrysopsis''.<ref name="FSU"/> | ||
===Phenology=== <!--Timing off flowering, fruiting, seed dispersal, and environmental triggers. Cite PanFlora website if appropriate: http://www.gilnelson.com/PanFlora/ --> | ===Phenology=== <!--Timing off flowering, fruiting, seed dispersal, and environmental triggers. Cite PanFlora website if appropriate: http://www.gilnelson.com/PanFlora/ --> | ||
| − | + | ''S. junceus'' has been observed to flower from September through November with peak inflorescence in October,<ref name="Weakley 2015"/><ref name="PanFlora">Nelson, G. PanFlora: Plant data for the eastern United States with emphasis on the Southeastern Coastal Plains, Florida, and the Florida Panhandle. www.gilnelson.com/PanFlora/ Accessed: 8 JAN 2018</ref>, although there are reports of flowering occurring between March and June as well.<ref name="PanFlora"/> | |
| − | + | ||
| + | ===Seed dispersal=== | ||
| + | This species is thought to be dispersed by gravity. <ref> Kirkman, L. Katherine. Unpublished database of seed dispersal mode of plants found in Coastal Plain longleaf pine-grasslands of the Jones Ecological Research Center, Georgia.</ref> | ||
<!--===Seed bank and germination===--> | <!--===Seed bank and germination===--> | ||
===Fire ecology=== <!--Fire tolerance, fire dependence, adaptive fire responses--> | ===Fire ecology=== <!--Fire tolerance, fire dependence, adaptive fire responses--> | ||
| − | Burns during April, May, and July yielded larger numbers of flowers than burns at other times of the year in a Florida sandhill longleaf pine community.<ref name="Shepherd et al 2012">Shepherd B. J., Miller D. L., and Thetford M. (2012). Fire season effects on flowering characteristics and germination of longleaf pine (''Pinus palustris'') savanna grasses. Restoration Ecology 20(2):268-276.</ref><ref name="Canfield & Tanner 1997">Canfield S. L. and Tanner G. W. (1997). Observations of pineywoods dropseed (''Sporobolus junceus'') phenological development following fire in a sandhill community. Florida Scientist 60(2):69-72</ref> After a May burn in north Florida, inflorescence and mature seeds were produced within 7-9 weeks following the fire.<ref name="Canfield & Tanner 1997"/> Despite affecting flowering and seeds, an Alabama study in 2004 and 2005 showed no difference in stem densities between burned and unburned glades. These densities ranged from 1.5 to 3.4 stems m<sup>-2</sup>.<ref name="Duncan et al 2008">Duncan R. S., Anderson C. B., Sellers H. N., Robbins E. E. (2008). The effect of fire reintroduction on endemic and rare plants of a southeastern glade ecosystem. Restoration Ecology 16(1):39-49.</ref> | + | Populations of ''Sporobolus junceus'' have been known to persist through repeated annual burns.<ref>Robertson, K.M. Unpublished data collected from Pebble Hill Fire Plots, Pebble Hill Plantation, Thomasville, Georgia.</ref><ref>Platt, W.J., R. Carter, G. Nelson, W. Baker, S. Hermann, J. Kane, L. Anderson, M. Smith, K. Robertson. 2021. Unpublished species list of Wade Tract old-growth longleaf pine savanna, Thomasville, Georgia.</ref> Burns during April, May, and July yielded larger numbers of flowers than burns at other times of the year in a Florida sandhill longleaf pine community.<ref name="Shepherd et al 2012">Shepherd B. J., Miller D. L., and Thetford M. (2012). Fire season effects on flowering characteristics and germination of longleaf pine (''Pinus palustris'') savanna grasses. Restoration Ecology 20(2):268-276.</ref><ref name="Canfield & Tanner 1997">Canfield S. L. and Tanner G. W. (1997). Observations of pineywoods dropseed (''Sporobolus junceus'') phenological development following fire in a sandhill community. Florida Scientist 60(2):69-72</ref> After a May burn in north Florida, inflorescence and mature seeds were produced within 7-9 weeks following the fire.<ref name="Canfield & Tanner 1997"/> Despite affecting flowering and seeds, an Alabama study in 2004 and 2005 showed no difference in stem densities between burned and unburned glades. These densities ranged from 1.5 to 3.4 stems m<sup>-2</sup>.<ref name="Duncan et al 2008">Duncan R. S., Anderson C. B., Sellers H. N., Robbins E. E. (2008). The effect of fire reintroduction on endemic and rare plants of a southeastern glade ecosystem. Restoration Ecology 16(1):39-49.</ref> |
| + | |||
<!--===Pollination===--> | <!--===Pollination===--> | ||
| − | + | ===Herbivory and toxicology===<!--Common herbivores, granivory, insect hosting, poisonous chemicals, allelopathy, etc--> | |
| − | === | + | ''S. junceus'' provides 2-5% of the diet of some terrestrial birds<ref name="USDA"/> and provides cover for wildlife.<ref>Denhof, Carol. 2013. Understory Plant Spotlight Pineywoods Dropseed Sporobolus junceus (P. Beauv.) Kunth. The Longleaf Leader. Vol. VI. Iss. 3. Page 9</ref> This species also functions as forage for cattle throughout most of the year and is tolerant to grazing.<ref name= "Forestland Grazing">Byrd, Nathan A. (1980). "Forestland Grazing: A Guide For Service Foresters In The South." U.S. Department of Agriculture.</ref> |
| − | ''S. junceus'' provides 2-5% of the diet of some terrestrial birds.<ref name=" | ||
<!--==Diseases and parasites==--> | <!--==Diseases and parasites==--> | ||
| − | ==Conservation | + | ==Conservation, cultivation, and restoration== |
| − | |||
| − | |||
On a central Florida sandhill, ''S. junceus'' planted in the winter established very well on overburned soils and produced the highest densities (up to 10 plants m<sup>-1</sup> of the plants tested.<ref name="Pfaff et al 2001">Pfaff S., Maura, Jr. C., and Gonter M. A. (2001). Performance of selected Florida native species on reclaimed phosphate minelands. #96-03-120R Brooksville, FL.</ref> Seeds can be hand collected and mixed with others (e.g. wiregrass) for sowing on restoration sites.<ref>Brockway D. G., Outcalt K. W., Tomczak D. J., and Johnson E. E. (2005) Restoration of Longleaf Pine Ecosystems. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station, General Technical Report SRS-83.</ref> | On a central Florida sandhill, ''S. junceus'' planted in the winter established very well on overburned soils and produced the highest densities (up to 10 plants m<sup>-1</sup> of the plants tested.<ref name="Pfaff et al 2001">Pfaff S., Maura, Jr. C., and Gonter M. A. (2001). Performance of selected Florida native species on reclaimed phosphate minelands. #96-03-120R Brooksville, FL.</ref> Seeds can be hand collected and mixed with others (e.g. wiregrass) for sowing on restoration sites.<ref>Brockway D. G., Outcalt K. W., Tomczak D. J., and Johnson E. E. (2005) Restoration of Longleaf Pine Ecosystems. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station, General Technical Report SRS-83.</ref> | ||
| + | ==Cultural use== | ||
| + | In the past, native peoples would harvest the tiny husk-less grains and grind them into a flour.<ref> Fernald, et al. 1958. Edible Plants of Eastern North America. Harper and Row Publishers, New York.</ref> | ||
==Photo Gallery== | ==Photo Gallery== | ||
Latest revision as of 09:52, 3 July 2024
| Sporobolus junceus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Photo by James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org hosted at Forestryimages.org | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants |
| Class: | Liliopsida - Moncots |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Cyperaceae |
| Genus: | Sporobolus |
| Species: | S. junceus |
| Binomial name | |
| Sporobolus junceus (P. Beauv.) Kunth | |
| |
| Natural range of Sporobolus junceus from USDA NRCS Plants Database. | |
Common name(s): sandhills dropseed,[1] pineywoods dropseed[2]
Contents
Taxonomic Notes
Synonym(s): S. gracilis (Trinius) Merrill
Description
Sporobolus junceus is a monoecious perennial graminoid.[2]
Sporobolus junceus does not have specialized underground storage units apart from its fibrous roots.[3] Diaz-Toribio and Putz (2021) recorded this species to have a water content of 39.5% (ranking 94 out of 100 species studied).[3]
The plant can reach upwards of 100cm in height while blooming and usually has long wiry leaf blades. The flowers are pyramidal or cone shaped spikelet bundles on reddish-brown stems that go through color phases of green, purple, and bronze as they mature.[4]
According to Diaz-Torbio and Putz (2021), Sporobolus junceus has fibrous roots with a below-ground to above-ground biomass ratio of 0.693 and nonstructural carbohydrate concentration of 22 mg g-1.[5]
Distribution
This species is found in southeastern Virginia, south to Florida and westward to southeastern Oklahoma and Texas.[1]
Ecology
Habitat
S. junceus has been found in open pinelands, scrub barrens, longleaf pine-saw palmetto flatwoods, pine barrens, calcareous glades, pine-wiregrass woods, open oak woods, turkey oak flatwoods, and deciduous oak ridges.[6] It is also found in disturbed areas including burned pinelands and logged/cattle-grazed pinelands[6] and is frequent and abundant in the Peninsula Xeric Sandhills and North Florida Subxeric Sandhills community types as described in Carr et al. (2010).[7]
S. junceus can become one of the more dominant grasses.[8] It appears to be rather shade tolerant since its coverage is not correlated with longleaf pine stand density.[9]
S. junceus reduced its occurrence in response to soil disturbance by agriculture in South Carolina's traditionally longleaf communities, making it a remnant woodland indicator species.[10][11] S. junceus also decreased its occurrence in response to soil disturbance by agriculture in southwest Georgia.[12]
It decreased its occurrence or was unaffected in response to soil disturbance by roller chopping in south Florida habitat.[13] It does not respond to soil disturbance by clearcutting and chopping in north Florida flatwoods forests.[14]
Associated species: Phoebanthus, Liatris, and Chrysopsis.[6]
Phenology
S. junceus has been observed to flower from September through November with peak inflorescence in October,[1][15], although there are reports of flowering occurring between March and June as well.[15]
Seed dispersal
This species is thought to be dispersed by gravity. [16]
Fire ecology
Populations of Sporobolus junceus have been known to persist through repeated annual burns.[17][18] Burns during April, May, and July yielded larger numbers of flowers than burns at other times of the year in a Florida sandhill longleaf pine community.[8][19] After a May burn in north Florida, inflorescence and mature seeds were produced within 7-9 weeks following the fire.[19] Despite affecting flowering and seeds, an Alabama study in 2004 and 2005 showed no difference in stem densities between burned and unburned glades. These densities ranged from 1.5 to 3.4 stems m-2.[20]
Herbivory and toxicology
S. junceus provides 2-5% of the diet of some terrestrial birds[2] and provides cover for wildlife.[21] This species also functions as forage for cattle throughout most of the year and is tolerant to grazing.[22]
Conservation, cultivation, and restoration
On a central Florida sandhill, S. junceus planted in the winter established very well on overburned soils and produced the highest densities (up to 10 plants m-1 of the plants tested.[23] Seeds can be hand collected and mixed with others (e.g. wiregrass) for sowing on restoration sites.[24]
Cultural use
In the past, native peoples would harvest the tiny husk-less grains and grind them into a flour.[25]
Photo Gallery
References and notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Weakley A. S.(2015). Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Herbarium.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 USDA, NRCS. (2016). The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 8 January 2018). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Diaz-Toribio, M.H. and F. E. Putz 2021. Underground carbohydrate stores and storage organs in fire-maintained longleaf pine savannas in Florida, USA. American Journal of Botany 108: 432-442.
- ↑ Denhof, Carol. 2013. Understory Plant Spotlight Pineywoods Dropseed Sporobolus junceus (P. Beauv.) Kunth. The Longleaf Leader. Vol. VI. Iss. 3. Page 9
- ↑ Diaz‐Toribio, M. H. and F. E. Putz. 2021. Underground carbohydrate stores and storage organs in fire‐maintained longleaf pine savannas in Florida, USA. American Journal of Botany 108(3):432-442.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Florida State University Herbarium Database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: June 2021. Collectors: George R. Cooley, A. H. Curtiss, Richard J. Eaton, Robert K. Godfrey, R. Kral, John B. Nelson, R. S. Mitchell, Gwynn W. Ramsey, and Allen G. Shuey. States and counties: Florida: Bay, Calhoun, Duval, Gadsden, Levy, Manatee, and Suwannee.
- ↑ Carr, S.C., K.M. Robertson, and R.K. Peet. 2010. A vegetation classification of fire-dependent pinelands of Florida. Castanea 75:153-189.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Shepherd B. J., Miller D. L., and Thetford M. (2012). Fire season effects on flowering characteristics and germination of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) savanna grasses. Restoration Ecology 20(2):268-276.
- ↑ Harrington T. B. (2006). Plant competition, facilitation, and other overstorey-understory interactions in longleaf pine ecosystems. In: Jose S., Jokela E. J., and Miller D. L. (eds) The longleaf pine ecosystem: ecology, silviculture, and restoration. Springer, New York, pp. 135-156.
- ↑ Brudvig, L.A. and E.I. Damchen. (2011). Land-use history, historical connectivity, and land management interact to determine longleaf pine woodland understory richness and composition. Ecography 34: 257-266.
- ↑ Brudvig, L.A., E Grman, C.W. Habeck, and J.A. Ledvina. (2013). Strong legacy of agricultural land use on soils and understory plant communities in longleaf pine woodlands. Forest Ecology and Management 310: 944-955.
- ↑ Kirkman, L.K., K.L. Coffey, R.J. Mitchell, and E.B. Moser. Ground Cover Recovery Patterns and Life-History Traits: Implications for Restoration Obstacles and Opportunities in a Species-Rich Savanna. (2004). Journal of Ecology 92(3):409-421.
- ↑ Lewis, C.E. (1970). Responses to Chopping and Rock Phosphate on South Florida Ranges. Journal of Range Management 23(4):276-282.
- ↑ Moore, W.H., B.F. Swindel, and W.S. Terry. (1982). Vegetative Response to Clearcutting and Chopping in a North Florida Flatwoods Forest. Journal of Range Management 35(2):214-218.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Nelson, G. PanFlora: Plant data for the eastern United States with emphasis on the Southeastern Coastal Plains, Florida, and the Florida Panhandle. www.gilnelson.com/PanFlora/ Accessed: 8 JAN 2018
- ↑ Kirkman, L. Katherine. Unpublished database of seed dispersal mode of plants found in Coastal Plain longleaf pine-grasslands of the Jones Ecological Research Center, Georgia.
- ↑ Robertson, K.M. Unpublished data collected from Pebble Hill Fire Plots, Pebble Hill Plantation, Thomasville, Georgia.
- ↑ Platt, W.J., R. Carter, G. Nelson, W. Baker, S. Hermann, J. Kane, L. Anderson, M. Smith, K. Robertson. 2021. Unpublished species list of Wade Tract old-growth longleaf pine savanna, Thomasville, Georgia.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Canfield S. L. and Tanner G. W. (1997). Observations of pineywoods dropseed (Sporobolus junceus) phenological development following fire in a sandhill community. Florida Scientist 60(2):69-72
- ↑ Duncan R. S., Anderson C. B., Sellers H. N., Robbins E. E. (2008). The effect of fire reintroduction on endemic and rare plants of a southeastern glade ecosystem. Restoration Ecology 16(1):39-49.
- ↑ Denhof, Carol. 2013. Understory Plant Spotlight Pineywoods Dropseed Sporobolus junceus (P. Beauv.) Kunth. The Longleaf Leader. Vol. VI. Iss. 3. Page 9
- ↑ Byrd, Nathan A. (1980). "Forestland Grazing: A Guide For Service Foresters In The South." U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- ↑ Pfaff S., Maura, Jr. C., and Gonter M. A. (2001). Performance of selected Florida native species on reclaimed phosphate minelands. #96-03-120R Brooksville, FL.
- ↑ Brockway D. G., Outcalt K. W., Tomczak D. J., and Johnson E. E. (2005) Restoration of Longleaf Pine Ecosystems. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station, General Technical Report SRS-83.
- ↑ Fernald, et al. 1958. Edible Plants of Eastern North America. Harper and Row Publishers, New York.
