Pennisetum macrourum

• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Common Names

Description

Family Poaceae

Annual or perennial herbs, or tall woody bamboos . Flowering stems (culms ) jointed , internodes hollow or solid; branches arising singly from nodes and subtended by a leaf sheath and 2-keeled prophyll, often fascicled in bamboos. Leaves arranged alternately in 2 ranks , differentiated into sheath, blade , and an adaxial erect appendage at sheath/blade junction (ligule) ; leaf sheath surrounding and supporting culm-internode, split to base or infrequently tubular with partially or completely fused margins , modified with reduced blade in bamboos (culm sheaths) ; leaf blades divergent, usually long, narrow and flat, but varying from inrolled and filiform to ovate , veins parallel, sometimes with cross-connecting veinlets (especially in bamboos) ; ligule membranous or a line of hairs . Inflorescence terminal or axillary , an open, contracted , or spikelike panicle, or composed of lax to spikelike racemes arranged along an elongate central axis, or digitate, paired , or occasionally solitary; axillary inflorescences often many, subtended by spatheoles (specialized bladeless leaf sheaths) and gathered into a leafy compound panicle; spikelets often aggregated into complex clusters in bamboos. Spikelets composed of distichous bracts arranged along a slender axis (rachilla) ; typically 2 lowest bracts (glumes ) empty, subtending 1 to many florets ; glumes often poorly differentiated from accompanying bracts in bamboos. Florets composed of 2 opposing bracts enclosing a single small flower, outer bract (lemma) clasping the more delicate, usually 2-keeled inner bract (palea) ; base of floret often with thickened prolongation articulated with rachilla (callus) ; lemma often with apical or dorsal bristle (awn ), glumes also sometimes awned . Flowers bisexual or unisexual ; lodicules (small scales representing perianth) 2, rarely 3 or absent, 3 to many in bamboos, hyaline or fleshy ; stamens 3 rarely 1, 2, 6, or more in some bamboos, hypogynous, filaments capillary , anthers versatile; ovary 1-celled, styles (1 or) 2(rarely 3), free or united at base, topped by feathery stigmas, exserted from sides or apex of floret. Fruit normally a dry indehiscent caryopsis with thin pericarp firmly adherent to seed, pericarp rarely free, fleshy in some bamboos; embryo small or large; hilum punctate to linear .

About 700 genera and 11,000 species: widely distributed in all regions of the world.[1]

Genus Pennisetum

Annuals or perennials . Culms tufted or rhizomatous , prostrate to over 3 m tall. Leaf blades flat, folded or convolute; ligule a ciliate membrane . Inflorescence a spikelike panicle, cylindrical to subglobose; branches numerous , contracted into short clusters of one or more spikelets subtended by an involucre of bristles ; involucres sessile or with a short basal stipe, deciduous with the spikelets at maturity leaving peduncle stumps or scars on the main axis; bristles slender, scabrous , sometimes plumose , simple or very rarely branched, very unequal, outer shorter, often innermost stouter and conspicuously exceeding the rest. Spikelets usually lanceolate, dorsally compressed , herbaceous, acute or obtuse , florets 2, glumes and lower lemma variable; glumes often small and not exceeding 1/2 spikelet length; lower lemma staminate or neuter , equaling spikelet or reduced; upper lemma equaling spikelet, herbaceous or indurated , obtuse to acute. x = 9.

About 80 species: throughout the tropics; 11 species (four endemic, four introduced ) in China.

Pennisetum is a large and variable genus, but the bristly , spikelike inflorescence is always readily recognizable. The only other panicoid genus with a similar bristly inflorescence is Setaria, but in that genus the bristles are not deciduous with the spikelets, instead remaining on the rachis at maturity. The bristles are derived from reduced panicle branches.

Many species provide good forage . Several species, including Pennisetum glaucum in China, are used for food.[2]

Physical Description

Habitat

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 4,028 meters (0 to 13,215 feet).[3]

Biology

Reproduction

Duration: Perennial

Growth

Culture: Space 24-36" apart.

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun .

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b. (map)

Taxonomy

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000

Name verified on

Place of publication : Gram . panic. 64. 1826

Name verified on 07-Apr-1993 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last updated: 21-Nov-1994

Similar Species

Members of the genus Pennisetum

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 364 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

P. adoense · P. advena (Foreign Fountaingrass) · P. alapecuroides · P. albicauda · P. alopecuroides (Chinese Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides black · P. alopecuroides 'Black Beauty' · P. alopecuroides 'Bruno Ears' · P. alopecuroides 'Cassian's Choice' · P. alopecuroides 'Cassian' (Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Caudatum' · P. alopecuroides 'Desert Plains' · P. alopecuroides f. erythrochaetum 'Ferris' · P. alopecuroides f. viridescens · P. alopecuroides 'Foxtrot' (Foxtrot Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Fox Trot' (Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Hameln' (Hameln Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Herbstzauber' · P. alopecuroides 'Little Bunny' (Little Bunny Dwarf Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Little Honey' (Dwarf Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Little Richie' · P. alopecuroides 'Magic' · P. alopecuroides 'Moudry' (Black Flowering Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'National Arboretum' (National Arboretum Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Piglet' · P. alopecuroides 'Redhead' · P. alopecuroides 'Red Head' · P. alopecuroides var. albiflorum · P. alopecuroides var. Hamelin (Chinese Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides var. purpurascens · P. alopecuroides var. viridescens (Black-Flowered Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Weserbergland' (Ornamental Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Woodside' · P. alopecuros · P. americanum · P. americanum 'Civt' · P. americanum americanum · P. amethystinum · P. amoenum · P. ancylochaete · P. angolense · P. angustifolium · P. annuum · P. antillarum · P. araneosum · P. arnhemicum · P. articulare · P. arvense · P. asperifolium · P. asperum · P. atrichum · P. aureum · P. bambusiforme · P. baojiense · P. barbatum · P. barteri · P. basedowii · P. beckeroides · P. benthami · P. blepharideum · P. borbonicum · P. brachystachyum · P. breve · P. breviflorum · P. caffrum · P. calyculatum · P. caninum · P. carneum · P. catabasis · P. cauda-ratti · P. caudatum (White Flowering Fountain Grass) · P. cenchroides · P. centrasiaticum · P. cereale · P. chevalieri · P. chilense · P. chudeaui · P. ciliare (African Foxtail Grass) · P. ciliares · P. ciliare var. ciliare (Buffelgrass) · P. ciliare var. setigerum (Cow Sandbur) · P. ciliatum · P. cinereum · P. cladestinum · P. clandestinum (Kikuyugrass Pennisetum Clandestinum) · P. cognatum · P. complanatum (Nicaraguan Fountaingrass) · P. compressum · P. corrugatum · P. crinitum · P. crus-galli · P. cupreum · P. cylindricum · P. cynosuroides · P. dalzielii · P. darfuricum · P. dasistachyum · P. dasystachyum · P. davyi · P. densiflorum

More Info

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Further Reading

• Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960–. Flora zambesiaca. (F Zamb)
• FNA Editorial Committee. 1993–. Flora of North America. (F NAmer)
• Gibbs-Russell, G. E. et al. 1990. Grasses of southern Africa. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa vol. 58. (Grass SAfr)
• Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1990–. Flora of Ethiopia. (F Ethiop)
• Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11. (L Aust)
• Holm, L. et al. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds. (Atlas WWeed)
• Inventory of seeds and plants imported / U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry. Washington, D.C.: G.P.O., 1914-1924. ENG url p. 103, p. 105, p. 85.
• Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia. (Noxweed Aust)
• Thulin, M., ed. 1993–. Flora of Somalia. (F Somalia)
• Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952–. Flora of tropical East Africa. (F TE Afr)
• Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds. (Invasive Pl Spec)
• Chen Shouliang, Jin Yuexing, Zhuang Tide, Fang Wenzhe, Sheng Guoying, Liu Liang, Wu Zhenlan, Lu Shenglian, Sun Bisin, Hu Zhihao, Wang Song, Sun Xiangzhong, Wang Huiqin, Yang Xilin, Wang Chaopin, Li Binggui & Wen Shaobin. 1990. Gramineae (Poaceae) (4). In: Chen Shouliang, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 10(1):1401
• Chen Shouliang, Zhuang Tide, Fang Wenzhe, Sheng Guoying, Jin Yuexing, Liu Liang, Sun Bisin, Hu Zhihao & Wang Song. 1997. Gramineae (Poaceae) (5). In: Chen Shouliang, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 10(2): 1301
• Liu Liang, Zhu Taiping, Chen Wenli, Wu Zhenlan & Lu Shenglian. Gramineae (Poaceae) (2). In: Liu Liang, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 9(2): 1405
• Lu Sheng-lian, Sun Yong-hua, Liu Shang-wu, Yang Yong-chang, Wu Zhen-lan, Kuo Pen-chao, Yang Hsi-ling, Wang Chao-pin & Tsui Nai-ran. 1987. Gramineae (3). In: Kuo Pen-chao, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 9(3): 1329
• Wang Zhengping, Ye Guanghan, Yang Yaling, Yu Zehua, Hu Chenhua, Geng Bojie, Feng Xuelin, Jia Liangzhi, Xia Nianhe, Li Dezhu, Zhang Weiping, Xue Jiru, Zhu Zhengde, Zhao Qiseng, Chen Shouliang, Sheng Guoying, Chen Shaoyun, Yao Changyu, Lu Jionglin, Sun Jiliang, Lin Wantao, Yi Tongpei, Zhao Huiru, Wen Taihui & Dai Qihui. 1996. Gramineae (Poaceae) (1).

Notes

Contributors

• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed November 26, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 5 providers.
• USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL (April 24, 2008)

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 26, 2007:

• Australian National Herbarium
• , Australian National Herbarium
• Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden
• National Herbarium of New South Wales, NSW herbarium collection

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2668486
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-504199
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13760718
• Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:78833-3
• GRIN Nomen Number: 27197
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 504199
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: PMPOA4Q0D0
• U.S.D.A. Plant Symbol: PEMA80
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 13841

Footnotes

1. Shou-liang Chen, De-Zhu Li, Guanghua Zhu, Zhenlan Wu, Sheng-lian Lu, Liang Liu, Zheng-ping Wang, Bi-xing Sun, Zheng-de Zhu, Nianhe Xia, Liang-zhi Jia, Zhenhua Guo, Wenli Chen, Xiang Chen, Yang Guangyao, Sylvia M. Phillips, Chris Stapleton, Robert J. Soreng, Susan G. Aiken, Nikolai N. Tzvelev, Paul M. Peterson, Stephen A. Renvoize, Marina V. Olonova & Klaus Ammann "Poaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 22. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
2. Shou-liang Chen & Sylvia M. Phillips "Pennisetum". in Flora of China Vol. 22 Page 1, 499, 548, 553. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
3. Mean = 395.910 meters (1,298.917 feet), Standard Deviation = 813.710 based on 32 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]

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