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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Fall Panic Grass
Panicum dichotomiflorum Michx.

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Grass (Gramineae)
Flowering: August-September
Field Marks: This Panicum differs from all other panicums in that the first (lowest) glume is only 1/20 inch long and never 1/2 as long as the second glume.
Habitat: Wet meadows, along streams.
Habit: Tufted annual grass with fibrous roots.
Stems: Upright, usually branched from below, hollow, up to 5 feet tall, without hairs.
Leaves: Elongated, narrow, flat, up to 3/4 inch wide, smooth or slightly rough to the touch.
Flowers: Borne in 1-flowered spikelets, with many spikelets in an open panicle; panicle up to 10 inches long; spikelets 1/6-1/5 inch long, smooth; first (lowest) glume about 1/20 inch long, less than 1/2 as long as second glume; lemma 1/8-1/6 in
Sepals: 0.
Petals: 0.
Stamens: 3.
Pistils: Ovary superior.
Grains: Ovoid, smooth.
Notes: The grains are eaten by birds.

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/florawe/species/2/panidich.htm
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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:24:05 EST
Reston, VA [vaww54]