Dichanthelium Explained

Dichanthelium is genus of flowering plants of the grass family, Poaceae. They are known commonly as rosette grasses and panicgrasses.[1]

Taxonomy

Formerly a subgenus of the genus Panicum, Dichanthelium was elevated to genus status in 1974.[2] Its species are still treated as members of Panicum by some authorities, because the two genera are very similar in form. Molecular data support the recognition of Dichanthelium as a separate genus.[3]

The name Dichanthelium originates from the Greek for "twice-flowering", in reference to the vernal and autumnal growth phases.[4]

Description

These are perennial grasses, sometimes with rhizomes. The grasses may overwinter as rosettes of short, wide leaves and then produce longer, wider leaves on the stem during spring. They produce hollow stems a few centimeters tall to well over one meter. They are upright to erect when new, then sometimes sprawling, spreading, and bending as the season progresses. The upper stems may have a few main branches that divide into smaller branches bearing panicles. There are primary panicles, which may be chasmogamous, and secondary panicles, which are often cleistogamous. The spikelets are roughly 1 to 5 millimeters long and lack awns.[3]

In the Chicago area, Dichanthelium is considered the most emblematic genus of the Gulf and Atlantic coastal plain disjunct habitat found in that region.[4] [5]

Species

There are about 72 species in the genus.[3] Species include:[1] [3] [6] [7]

Notes and References

  1. http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=DICHA2 Dichanthelium.
  2. Gould . F. W. . 1974 . Nomenclatural changes in the Poaceae . Brittonia . 26 . 1. 59–60 . 10.2307/2805920 . 2805920 . 1974Britt..26...59G . 46733939 .
  3. Freckmann, R. W. and M. G. Lelong. Dichanthelium. The Grass Manual. Flora of North America.
  4. Book: Wilhelm . Gerould . Rericha . Laura . 2017 . Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis . Indiana Academy of Sciences.
  5. Reznicek . A. A. . 41660892 . The disjunct coastal plain flora in the Great Lakes region . Biological Conservation . 1994 . 68 . 3 . 203–215 . 10.1016/0006-3207(94)90408-1 . 1994BCons..68..203R . 2027.42/31904 . free .
  6. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=41645 Dichanthelium.
  7. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?14275 GRIN Species Records of Dichanthelium.

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