Common name: Angleton Grass, Angleton bluestem (USA)
Dichanthium aristatum (Poir.) C.E.Hubb. APNI* Synonyms: Andropogon aristatus Poir. APNI*
Description: Erect perennial to 1 m high, geniculate at base, white-pubescent at nodes.
Leaves with sheath glabrous; ligule membranous, to c. 0.8 mm long; blade 2–5 mm wide, scabrous on upper surface, sparsely pilose but becoming glabrous toward base.
Racemes 1–6, to 8 cm long (peduncles and upper culm axis pubescent). Sessile spikelets 2–5 mm long.
Distribution and occurrence: Sparingly naturalised in N.S.W. Isolated occurrences include a rural area (near a house) outside Tyalgum and a record from a roadside near Kyogle where it was possibly planted. Occurs throughout the Tropics and Subtropics. Native from India to SE Asia.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC
Other Australian states: *Qld
Differs from native species of Dichanthium occurring in New South Wales by having bases of its racemes bare without spikelets (native species have spikelets to the base of their racemes). This can cause confusion when identifying specimens using some keys, since Bothriochloa is often separated from Dichanthium by also having bare raceme bases, however, Dichanthium aristatum can be distinguished by its raceme bases being densely hairy. See also Kodela, Cunninghamia 15: 143-151 (2015).
Text by P.G. Kodela (Dec 2009; last updated Jul 2012)
Taxon concept:
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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