Dichanthelium ravenelii

Dichanthelium ravenelii
Photo by Kevin Robertson
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class:	Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Order:	Cyperales
Family:	Poaceae ⁄ Gramineae
Genus:	Dichanthelium
Species:	D. ravenelii
Binomial name
Dichanthelium ravenelii (Scribn. & Merr.) Gould
Natural range of Dichanthelium ravenelii from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common name: Ravenel's rosette grass

Synonym: Panicum ravenelii Scribn. & Merr.

Description

Dichanthelium ravenelii is a perennial graminoid.

Generally, for the Dichanthelium genus, they have "spikelets usually in panicles, round or nearly so in cross section, 2-flowered, terminal fertile, basal sterile, neutral or staminate. First glume usually present, 2nd glume and sterile lemma similar; fertile lemma and palea indurate without hyaline margins. Taxonomically our most difficult and least understood genus of grasses, more than 100 species an varieties are ascribed to the Carolinas by some authors. Note general descriptions for species groups (e.g., 1-4, 5-8, 9-13, and 26-62)." - Radford et al 1964.

Specifically, for the D. ravenelii species, they are "perennial with distinct basal rosettes; branching, when present, from nodes above basal rosette. Leaves basal and cauline, vernal and autumnal. Culms 2.5-6 dm tall, nodes densely bearded, internodes papillose-pilose pr puberulent. Blades to 12 cm long, 2.5-19 mm wide, glabrous on upper surfaces, puberulent on lower surfaces, margins scaberulous, ciliate, bases cordate, ciliate; sheaths papillose-pilose; ligules densely ciliate, 3-5 mm long; collars densely pubescent. Panicle 6-7 cm long, 5-6 cm broad; rachis short villous, branches spreading or ascending, short villous. Spikelet 3.8-4.2 mm long, obovoid or broadly ellipsoid; pedicels scaberulous, sparsely villous. First glume glabrous, margins scarious, acute, 1.8-2.5 mm long, 2nd glume and sterile lemma pubescent, acute to obtuse, 3.8-4.2 mm long; fertile lemma and palea 1.8-3.5 mm long, nerveless or faintly nerved, yellowish or brownish at maturity, lustrous, acute, or obtuse. Grain 1.2-2 mm long, yellowish or purplish, broadly ellipsoid or subglobose.' - Radford et al 1964.

Distribution

TX, OK, MO, IA, IL, KY, TN, AR, LA, MS, AL, FL, GA, SC, NC, VA, MD, DE

Ecology

Habitat

D. ravenelii can be found in calcareous coastal hardwood hammocks, calcareous glades, edges of limesinks, pine-oak sandhills, live oak woods, mixed deciduous forests, upland longleaf and shortleaf pine native communities, banks of hardwood forested rivers (FSU Herbarium). It occurs in a wide range of soil conditions from deep sands, to clay, sandy loam, sandy clay, and forest humus (FSU Herbarium). Can occurs in highly disturbed areas, particularly if sandy (FSU Herbarium). Tolerates full light to partially shaded conditions (FSU Herbarium). Apparently limited to well-drained areas even if near wetlands or water bodies (FSU Herbarium). It thrives in frequently burned areas (FSU Herbarium).

Associated species include P. commutatum (FSU Herbarium).

Phenology

It flowers April-September and fruits April-October in Florida (FSU Herbarium).

Fire ecology

This species has been found in previously burned pine woods and annually burned savanna, so it is fire tolerant (FSU Herbarium).

References and notes

Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: June 2014. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson, Charles N. Horn, R. Kral, Raymond Athey, Sidney McDaniel, William J. Clark, H. R. Reed, D J Banks, Ken E. Rogers, Steve Furr, A. E. Radford, R. L. Wilbur, R.K. Godfrey, H. Kurz, Gary R. Knight, R. Komarek, and R. A. Norris. States and Counties: Alabama: Baldwin and Lee. Florida: Franklin, Jackson, Leon, Liberty, and Wakulla. Georgia: Ben Hill, Dougherty, Grady, and Thomas. Kentucky: Crittenden. Louisiana: Jackson and Ouachita. Mississippi: Lauderdale and Pearl River. South Carolina: Greenwood and Laurens. Tennessee: Knox. Texas: Van Zandt.

Radford, Albert E., Harry E. Ahles, and C. Ritchie Bell. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. 1964, 1968. The University of North Carolina Press. 142-153. Print.