Panicum virgatum

L. (1753)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Monocots Order: Poales Family: Poaceae Genus: Panicum

switchgrass

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Rhizomatous perennials 60–200 cm tall.

Stems: Rhizomes well–developed, scaly.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Blades 10–60 cm long, 0.3–1.5 cm wide. Surfaces usually glabrous. Margins entire. Sheathing, ligule a ciliate membrane, 1.8–3.2 mm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in panicles 15–55 cm long; spikelets 4–5.5 mm long, ovoid, acuminate, glabrous; first glume 2–4 mm long, ⅔–¾ as long as spikelet, 5–nerved, acuminate, second glume 5–7–nerved, longer than first lemma; first floret staminate, first lemma 5–7–nerved, first palea as long as first lemma; second floret 2.8–3.4 mm long, obtuse, glossy, smooth; anthers 2–3 mm long. Stamens 3. Ovary superior.

Fruit: Fruit a caryopsis

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Possibly extirpated

Island Status

O'ahu Possibly extirpated

Dispersal Agents

Wind

Vegetative Reproduction

Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Sp. Pl.: 59 (1753)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1574 (O); Snow & Lau 2010:52 (O? [2 colls., Poamoho experimental station, 1938 & 1940])

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Scientific Name Authorship Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Panicum virgatum L. poamoho PRESERVED_SPECIMEN collector number: s.n. Maui BISH 9/1/1938
2 Panicum virgatum L. Waialua, Poamoho, Hawaiian Agricultural Experimental Station farm In experimental plot. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN Hosaka, E.Y. 2541 Oahu BISH 10/17/1940
3 Panicum virgatum L. waialua, poamoho, hawaiian agricultural experimental station farm Common roadside and lawn weed. PRESERVED_SPECIMEN hosaka, e.y. collector number: 2541 Maui BISH 10/17/1940
4 Panicum virgatum L. Poamoho Volunteer with Andropogon furcatus PRESERVED_SPECIMEN s.n. Oahu BISH 9/1/1938