Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Panicum dichotomiflorum
Knee grass, Panic grass, Fall panicum
Taxonomy

Synonyms: Panicum dichotomiflorum geniculatum, Panicum dichotomiflorum puritanorum

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

  • Magnoliophyta

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA Plants;  ITIS;  The Plant List;  IPNI

Images

   
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Species Distribution
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More about map & occurrence records

County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNA;  USDA Plants;  BONAP;  BISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:not accepted by IT IS, but used by other sources; not in IDOT, but used with CTAP

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Monocot, annual

Roots: adventitious, fibrous

Shoots: alternate leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; entire leaf margin; Parallel leaf venation; awl-shaped leaf shape

Inflorescence: panicle

Flowers: perfect; 3 merous; complete; hypogynous ovary position

Fruit: grain

Physiology: autotrophic; C4 C02 fixation

Reproduction: sexual

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Species is distributed in low fields, waste ground, especially in moist, open areas, alluvial soils, gravel bars, roadside ditches, and railroads. Species is distributed on low waste areas, ditches, open and alluvial soils, gravel bars, and along railroads.

ILPIN Notes: Regarding weediness, it may be economic or colonizing. Only Illinois is a member of Sect. Dichotomiflora, with annual habit and extremely short (1/5-1/4 l of spikelet) first glume. Var. dichotomiflorum is separated from other 2 varieties by 1) its larger spikelets (2.4-3.5 mml) and mostly upright culms with upper panicles long-exerted from the sheaths. This variety is similar to var. geniculatum. Stephens, H.A. 1980. Poisonous Plants of the Central United States. Regent Press of Kansas. Lawrence, KA. 165 pp. Species is not as common as var. dichotomiflorum. Versus other 2 varieties, this var. geniculatum has: 1) culms mostly spreading and geniculate; 2) (lower) nodes swollen; 3) inflated sheaths; 4) uppermost panicles more or less included at base within the sheaths. Member of Sect. Dichotomiflora. Versus other 2 varieties, this one has smaller spikelets (1.7-2.3 mml.) and narrower leaf blades (to 5 (8) mm). Culms are mostly erect. Member of Sect. Dichotomiflora.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators:
  • Dispersal:
  • Mycorrhizae:
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value:

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State: 0
  • Chicago Area: 0

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