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Grass Gallery

Poaceae, Panicoideae, Andropogoneae - Bluestem (Old World)

(Family, Subfamily, Tribe)

Waves of Grain Index - Grass

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tribe Andropogoneae

King Ranch Bluestem (Yellow Bluestem) Bothriochloa ischaemum var. songarica

One of the Old World Bluestem grasses. 

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, September 2006, July 2007

(Cultivated, native of Africa, Europe, Asia)

Base: Perennial, clump grass, will develop rhizomes and stolons (runner stem) if overgrazed

Blade (leaf): mostly basal, 4-20cm long, 2-4mm wide, can be flat or folded, glabrous or long hairs at base

Sheath: glabrous

Culm (main grain stem):  erect, 30-80cm tall

Nodes: short hairs becoming glabrous with age

Inflorescence: panicle 5-10cm long

Rachis (panicle axis): 0.5-2 cm long, 1-8 branches

Branch: 3-9cm long, erect and somewhat spreading, not branching, longer than rachis

Spikelet: 3-4.5mm long, spear shaped, awns 9-17mm long and twisted

Glume: lower ones have short hairs, no dorsal pit

 


 

                 

 

tribe Andropogoneae

Caucasian Bluestem (Australian Bluestem) Bothriochloa bladhii (Bothriochloa caucasica, Andropogon bladhii)

One of the Old World Bluestem grasses. 

If mixed with native grasses this one will become dominate because it matures quicker and cattle avoid it for the younger grasses.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, August 2007

(Cultivated, native of Africa, Asia, and Australia)

Base: Perennial, clump grass, no rhizomes, no stolons (runner stem)

Blade (leaf): on culm only, 20-30cm long, 3-6mm wide, glabrous with a few hairs at base

Sheath: glabrous

Culm (main grain stem):  erect, 50-110cm tall

Nodes: short hairs becoming glabrous with age

Inflorescence: panicle 8-15cm long, red at maturity

Rachis (panicle axis): 6-12 cm long, many branches

Branch: 4-7cm long, erect and spreading during flowering, multiple branching, all shorter than rachis

Spikelet: 3.5-4mm long, spear shaped, awns 1.5mm long and twisted and bent

Glume: lower ones may or may not have short hairs, may or may not have dorsal pit

 


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