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Dichanthium caricosum
Scientific Name: Dichanthium caricosum
Family: Poaceae
Category: Monocot
Growth:
Duration:
Other Names:
Dichanthium caricosum: An Overview
Dichanthium caricosum, commonly known as India bluestem, nadi blue grass, Antigua hay grass, jiribilla, roadside bluestem, or nawai grass (Fiji), is a perennial grass species with a wide distribution.
Considerations for Pets
- This grass has fine, pointed leaves.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Dichanthium caricosum (L.) A. Camus
- Family: Poaceae (alt. Gramineae)
- Subfamily: Panicoideae
- Tribe: Andropogoneae
- Synonyms:
- Andropogon caricosus Linnaeus
- Andropogon annulatus var. subrepens
- Andropogon serratus Retz., nom. illeg.
- Taxonomic Rank: Species, also mentioned as having subvarieties, e.g., Dichanthium caricosum subvar. affine (R.Br.) Roberty
Distribution and Habitat
- Native to India and Southeast Asia.
- Exotic and widespread.
- Found in Africa, Asia, the Pacific region, and the West Indies.
- Specifically mentioned in Gujarat, India, Fiji, and Cuba.
- Grows in open, sunny, dry sandy places.
Ecological Role
- Listed as an invasive or potentially invasive plant in some regions.
Morphological Characteristics
- Creeping stoloniferous perennial.
- Blue-tinged stems.
- Fine pointed leaves, 4-20 cm long and 2-6 mm wide.
- Stolons can grow to 1.5-2 meters.
- Tufted perennial with slender culms up to 45 cm tall.
- Culms are decumbent, 25-100 cm long, erect or decumbent, sometimes stoloniferous, nodes bearded or glabrous.
- Leaves are lanceolate, 2-20 x 0.2-0.4 cm.
- Ligule is an eciliate membrane.
- Leaf-blades are 3-30 cm long and 2-7 mm wide.
- Inflorescence composed of 1-10 subdigitate shortly racemes.
- Culms geniculately ascending to 1 m high.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- Hosts the nematode species Myolaimus indicus, which is found on its roots.
- Associated with the fungus *Sporisorium foveolati*.
Quirky Facts
- For both Dichanthium annulatum and D. caricosum, there is a period of about two days between the emergence of panicles and the start of anthesis (flowering).
References and Further Information
- Catalogue of New World Grasses (Poaceae)
- Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk project (PIER) (http://www.hear.org/pier/)
- Catalogue of Life: 2012
- Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 4. Forages. Pudoc Scientific Publishers, Wageningen, Netherlands.
- The Plant List
- IPNI (International Plant Names Index)
- Australian Plant Name Index
- NYBG Virtual Herbarium
- Tropicos
- China
- IPCN
- Mesoamericana
- New World Grasses
- Herbarium Database
- http://www.kew.org/data/grasses-db/www/imp02865.htm
- Discover Life
- World Agroforestry Centre