keys to the vascular plants of east texas - Botanical Research ...

898 POACEAE/DICHANTHELIUM
1993; Carr 2002d; Poole et al. 2002), given its limited distribution in the state, we consider this
species to be of conservation concern in TX. �
Dichanthelium laxiflorum (Lam.) Gould, (loosely-flowered), OPEN-FLOWER ROSETTE GRASS,
OPEN-FLOWER PANIC, SOFT-TUFT PANIC GRASS. Plant 12–60 cm tall; culms not branching above the
base; leaves mostly basal; leaf sheaths pilose with widely spreading to slightly reflexed hairs 2–
3.5 mm long; leaf blades often pilose but sometimes varying to almost glabrous, the margins
with conspicuous hairs, at least near base; spikelets usually 1.7–2.1(–2.3) mm long. Sandy woods,
especially in low ground; widespread in East TX; also n Gulf Prairies and Marshes; e U.S. from
PA s to FL w to MO, OK, and TX. Apr–Jun, again late summer–fall. [Panicum laxiflorum Lam.]
Dichanthelium linearifolium (Scribn. ex Nash) Gould, (linear-leaved), SLIM-LEAF ROSETTE GRASS,
SLIM-LEAF PANIC, LINEAR-LEAF PANIC GRASS. Similar to D. depauperatum and perhaps
intergrading with it; plant 15–50 cm tall; culms not branching above base, with only upper 2
internodes elongated; leaves mostly basal; leaf sheaths pilose or rarely glabrous; blades of basal
and culm leaves similar, all 15–40 times as long as wide, 1–5 mm wide; spikelets usually 2.1–3
mm long; upper (fertile) floret as long as the beakless upper glume and lemma of lower floret.
Dry sandy woods or open ground; widespread in East TX; also Cross Timbers and Prairies, e
Edwards Plateau, and n Gulf Prairies and Marshes; se Canada and widespread in e U.S. w to WY
and NM. Mar–Jun, again late summer–fall. [Panicum linearifolium Scribn. ex Nash]
Dichanthelium malacophyllum (Nash) Gould, (soft-leaved), SOFT-LEAF ROSETTE GRASS, SOFT-LEAF
PANIC GRASS. Plant 25–70 cm tall; culm nodes bearded; culm internodes with papillose-based
hairs; leaf sheaths pilose; leaf blades densely soft-pubescent, at mid-culm mostly 8–12 mm
wide; spikelets (2.5–)2.6–3.2 mm long; upper glume often purplish toward base. Sandy or rocky
woods, usually on calcareous soils; Dallas, Lamar (BRIT), Brazos, Burleson, Grayson, Hardin,
Kaufman, and McLennan (Turner et al. 2003) cos.; also e Cross Timbers and Prairies; c U.S. from
KY and TN w to KS and TX, also SC. Apr–Jun, again late summer–fall. [Panicum
malacophyllum Nash] This species intergrades and perhaps hybridizes with D. oligosanthes
and D. acuminatum (Freckmann & Lelong 2003a).
Dichanthelium nodatum (Hitchc. & Chase) Gould, (apparently for the “numerous swollen
nodes”—Hitchcock & Chase 1910), SARITA ROSETTE GRASS, SARITA DICHANTHELIUM, SARITA PANIC
GRASS. Plant 20–50(–65) cm tall; basal rosettes usually absent; ligule of hairs, 2 mm or less long;
leaf blades 4–7(–9) mm wide, marginally papillose-ciliate to well beyond middle; spikelets 3.5–
4.4 mm long, narrowly obovate, gradually tapering to a narrow base; lower glume appearing
slightly separated from upper glume due to narrowed base of upper glume. Sandy soils, grasslands,
brushy areas, savannahs, and woods; sw part of East TX n to Bastrop, Colorado, and Robertson
(Turner et al. 2003) cos.; also Gulf Prairies and Marshes and South TX Plains; Carr (2001)
suggested that this species occurs only to the s of East TX. It has been reported as endemic to
TX (Gould 1975b; Kartesz 1999; Carr 2002b, 2002c). However, Freckmann and Lelong (2003a)
noted that it extends into ne Mexico. Apr–Jun, again late summer–fall. [Panicum nodatum
Hitchc. & Chase] (RARE 2001: G3S3) �E?
Dichanthelium oligosanthes (Schult.) Gould, (few-flowered), FEW-FLOWER PANIC GRASS, HELLER’S
ROSETTE GRASS. Culms spreading to erect, 15–85 cm tall, often branched and producing fascicles
of reduced leaves, the nodes usually either glabrous or with sparse pubescence; ligule 0.1–4.2
mm long; leaf blades usually 4–12(–15) mm wide; spikelets usually 2.7–4 mm long; upper
glume usually with an orange or purple spot at base. Open woods or open areas; e 1/2 of TX,
scattered further w; varieties are not distinguished on the county distribution map. Apr–Jun,
again late summer–fall. Variation within this species has been treated differently by various
authorities: Hansen and Wunderlin (1988) indicated that the characters used to separate the
varieties are unreliable and did not recognize varieties. On the other hand, Freckmann and
Lelong (2003a) recognized the two entities as subspecies. Because of the lack of geographic