Panicum dichotomiflorum

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Common Names: fall panicgrass [1]

Panicum dichotomiflorum
Panicum dichotomiflorum SEF.jpg
Photo by John Gwaltney hosted at Southeastern Flora.com
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class: Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Panicum
Species: P. dichotomiflorum
Binomial name
Panicum dichotomiflorum
Michx.
PANI DICH DIST.JPG
Natural range of Panicum dichotomiflorum from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Taxonomic Notes

Synonyms: none

Varieties: Panicum bartowense (Scribner & Merrill), Panicum puitanorum (Svenson)

Description

P. dichotomiflorum is an annual graminoid of the Poaceae family that is native to North America.[1]

Distribution

Excepting North Dakota and Wyoming, P. dichotomiflorum is native to the United States, and has been introduced to British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec. [1]

Ecology

Habitat

Moist habitats such as streams, flodplains, wet clearings, and waste sites are common environments to find P. dichotomiflorum. It requires full sun. [1]. Marshes are also common environments for the species. [2]

This grass is considered an indicator for anaerobic and compacted soil. [1]

Phenology

P. dichotomiflorum has been observed flowering August through December and in May and June with peak inflorescence in September and October. [3]

Seed dispersal

Seeds will fall off the stalks and into water and the ground, likely picked up by animals and dispersed. [1]

Seed bank and germination

Shallow flooding after seed dispersal is ideal for maximum germination. [1]

Germination will occur between April and May. [1]

Temperatures of 80F+ is ideal for proper germination.[1]

Use by animals

Small birds and ducks will was the seeds of the grass and deer will use it for browse. [1] It can be a major food source for ducks in a managed impoundment in South Carolina. [4]

P. dichotomiflorum has been known to cause photo-sensitivity to livestock as well as extreme nitrate poisoning. [1]

Conservation and Management

Planting a shade canopy will block the necessary sun light for P. dichotomiflorum is grow. [1]

Cultivation and restoration

Photo Gallery

References and notes

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 USDA Plant Database
  2. Bostick, P. E. (1971). "Vascular Plants of Panola Mountian, Georgia " Castanea 46(3): 194-209.
  3. 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: 24 MAY 2018
  4. Landers, J. L., et al. (1976). "Duck Foods in Managed Tidal Impoundments in South Carolina." The Journal of Wildlife Management 40(4): 721-728.