No images found for this plant ID: 14392.
Ensure images are uploaded to the Media Library and tagged with "14392" in the "plant_image_tag" taxonomy.
Geysers panicgrass
Scientific Name: Dichanthelium acuminatum var. thermale
Family: Poaceae
Category: Monocot
Growth: Graminoid
Duration: Perennial
Other Names:
Geysers Panicgrass (Dichanthelium acuminatum var. thermale)
Geysers panicgrass, scientifically known as Dichanthelium acuminatum var. thermale, is a graminoid plant also referred to as Hemlock Witchgrass or Matting Witchgrass.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Dichanthelium acuminatum (Sw.) Gould & C.A. Clark var. thermale (Bol.) Freckmann
- Synonyms:
- Dichanthelium lanuginosum var. thermale ( Boland.) Spellenberg
- Panicum albemarlense
- Panicum thermale Boland.
- Hairy rosette-panicgrass (Dichanthelium acuminatum)
- Family: Poaceae (Grass family)
Distribution and Habitat
- Geysers panicgrass is notably found in geyser basins throughout Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.
- It also occurs in locations such as the Geysers in Sonoma County, California.
- It is associated with hot springs and geothermal areas.
Ecological Role
- This plant is uniquely adapted to survive in the high temperatures of geyser basins due to a symbiotic relationship with a fungus.
Morphological Characteristics
- It is a perennial grass.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- Geysers panicgrass has a symbiotic relationship with a stringy, microscopic fungus (Curvularia proturberata) that lives on its roots, enabling it to tolerate the high temperatures of its habitat.
Quirky Facts
- The plant's survival in the extreme heat of geyser basins is attributed to a unique relationship with a microscopic fungus living in its roots.
- Research projects have focused on the demography and water relations of Geysers Panic Grass in the Geysers area of Sonoma County.