Dichanthelium oUgosanthes var. scribnerianum 



syn. Panicum scribnerianum Nash 



SCRIBNER'S PANIC GRASS 



Poaceae 



A. PRESENT LEGAL OR OTHER FORMAL STATUS 

 L FEDERAL STATUS 



a. U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE: None. 



b. U.S. FOREST SERVICE: None. 

 2. STATE: G5T5 SI (critically imperiled). 



B. DESCRIPTION 



1. GENERAL NONTECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: Scribner's panic grass is a 

 perennial, forming clumps of simple or branched stems, 1-6 dm (4-24 in.) tall 

 (Figure 12; Appendix E-9). Lower leaves are 3-10 cm (1-4 in.) long and 3-12 

 mm wide, while upper ones are short and relatively broad. Leaves are mostly 

 glabrous, but the sheaths surrounding the stem are glabrous to long-hairy. 

 There is a short fringe of hairs on the leaf where it meets the stem (ligule). 

 Flowers are borne on short to long stalks arranged in a conical inflorescence, 3- 

 8 cm (1-3 in.) high. Inflorescences of the main stems are larger than those of 

 the branches. Each egg-shaped spikelet has one flower, ca. 3 mm long, 

 consisting of two glumes enclosing a lemma and a palea that may or may not 

 be hairy. 



2. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: Vernal culms 20 to 50 cm tall, glabrous or 

 harshly puberulent, or sometimes ascending-pilose; sheaths striate, papillose- 

 hispid to nearly glabrous; blades ascending or erect, 5-10 cm long, 6-12 mm 

 wide, firm, rounded at the ciliate base, glabrous on the upper surface, 

 appressed pubescent to glabrous beneath; panicle 4-8 cm long; spikelets 3.2- 

 3.3 mm long, obovate, blunt, sparsely pubescent to nearly glabrous. Autumnal 

 phase branching from the middle and upper nodes. 



3. LOCAL FIELD CHARACTERS: The relatively large, egg-shaped, single- 

 flowered spikelets help identify this as Dichanthelium. This species branches 

 mainly in the upper portions of the stem, while D. wilcoxianum usually 

 branches near the base. A hand lens or microscope and technical key are 

 essential for positive determination. 



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