Bothriochloa barbinodis

(Lag.) Herter
Common names: Cane bluestem
Synonyms: Bothriochloa barbinodis var. perforata Andropogon barbinodis
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 25. Treatment on page 642.

Culms 60-120 cm tall, rarely more than 2 mm thick, erect, geniculate at the base, often branched at maturity, not glaucous below the nodes; nodes hirsute, hairs 3-4 mm, mostly erect to ascending, tan or off-white. Leaves cauline; ligules 1-2 mm, often erose; blades 20-30 cm long, 2-7 mm wide, not glaucous, glabrous or sparingly pilose near the throat. Panicles 5-14 (20) cm on the larger shoots, oblong to somewhat fan-shaped, silvery-white; rachises 5-10 cm, straight, exserted or partially included in the sheath, with numerous branches; branches 4-9 cm, erect, with several rames; rame internodes with a membranous groove wider than the margins, margins densely pilose, longest hairs 3-7 mm, concentrated distally. Sessile spikelets 4.5-7.3 mm; lower glumes short pilose, with or without a dorsal pit; awns 20-35 mm; anthers 0.5-1 mm, often remaining within the spikelet. Pedicellate spikelets 3-4 mm, narrowly lanceolate, sterile. 2n = 180.

Distribution

Colo., N.Mex., Tex., Utah, Calif., Pacific Islands (Hawaii), S.C., Okla., Ariz., Fla., Nev.

Discussion

Bothriochloa barbinodis is a common species, at 500-1200 m, along roadsides, drainage ways, and gravelly slopes in desert grasslands, from the southwestern United States through Mexico and Central America to Bolivia and Argentina, and has been found in the Hawaiian Islands. Plants with a pit on the back of their lower glumes occur sporadically; they do not differ in any other respect from those without pits. The species is sometimes used as an ornamental. It is tolerant of coastal conditions and will grow as far north as Vancouver, British Columbia.

Bothriochloa barbinodis has been confused with three other species in the Flora region. It differs from B. wrightii in not having glaucous foliage, and in having oblong to merely somewhat fan-shaped panicles with pedicellate spikelets that are definitely shorter than the sessile spikelets; from B. aha in having shorter culms, panicles, and nodal hairs; and from B. springfieldii in having taller culms, wider leaves, shorter nodal hairs, and more, less hairy panicles branches.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"decumbent" is not a number."wider" is not a number.

... more about "Bothriochloa barbinodis"
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br />) +
anatomy +  and kranz +
Kelly W. Allred +
(Lag.) Herter +
1 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
geniculate +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (3.5 cm35 mm <br />0.035 m <br />) +
keeled +  and rounded +
pseudopetiolate +  and branching +
divergent +  and parallel +
intravaginal +, extravaginal +, branching +  and basal +
swelling +
pseudopetiolate +
non-radiate +  and radiate +
well-developed +
20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br /> (30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br />) +
pilose +, glabrous +  and not glaucous +
usually linear +  and lanceolate occasionally ovate +
reduced +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
spikelike +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (9 cm90 mm <br />0.09 m <br />) +
flattened +, lanceolate +  and oblong +
Cane bluestem +
purple +  and reddish +
60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br /> (120 cm1,200 mm <br />1.2 m <br />) +
not glaucous +
geniculate +
30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br /> (250 cm2,500 mm <br />2.5 m <br />) +
not woody +
Colo. +, N.Mex. +, Tex. +, Utah +, Calif. +, Pacific Islands (Hawaii) +, S.C. +, Okla. +, Ariz. +, Fla. +  and Nev. +
capillary +
sometimes longer +
concealing +
compressed +  and terete +
shorter or longer +
subtending +
compressed +  and rounded +
unequal +
membranous +
off-white +  and tan +
mostly erect +  and ascending +
uncinate +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
bracteate +  and ebracteate +
pedunculate +  and multiple-stalked +
axillary +  and subtending +
solid +  and hollow +
photosynthetic +
not aromatic +
coriaceous +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
membranous +
inconspicuous +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
complex +  and simple +
concealed +  and prominent +
sessile-pedicellate +
heterogamous +
20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br /> (?) +
silvery-white +
fan--shaped +  and oblong to somewhat +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (14 cm140 mm <br />0.14 m <br />) +
fused +  and free +
dry +  and fleshy +
included +  and exserted +
elongate +
pedicellate +  and sessile +
in triplets +  and paired +
well-developed +
lanceolate +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
1 +  and 3 +
fused +  and free +
2 +  and 3 +
dome--shaped +  and triangular +
Bothriochloa barbinodis var. perforata +  and Andropogon barbinodis +
Bothriochloa barbinodis +
Bothriochloa +
species +
membranous +
sessile-pedicellate +
plant +  and cespitose +
aquatic +  and terrestrial +
dioecious +, monoecious +  and synoecious +