Beaked panic grass

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Beaked panic grass inflorescence

Beaked panic grass

Beaked panic grass

Beaked panic grass spikelets

Morphology

Culm

Slender, erect or ascending, hollow, flattened near base, glabrous to scabrous.

Blades

Basal and cauline, arched or spreading; blades elongate, 6 to 20 inches long, .2 to .5 inch wide, flat or slightly folded lengthwise, mid-vein prominent, glabrous to sparsely pubescent, densely pubescent near base on upper surface, margins often ciliate.

Sheath

Mostly longer than internodes, mostly keeled, glabrous or sparsely pilose.

Ligule

Minute brown membrane

Inflorescence

Panicles, terminal or axillary, 6 to 16 inches, open, branches ascending or spreading, re-branching, ultimate branchlets mostly appressed, appearing somewhat one-sided.

Spikelets

Spikelets oriented in 2 rows, bent obliquely on short pedicels, narrowly elliptic-ovate, .1 to .15 inch long, sharply pointed; glumes unequal, awnless; lower glume 1/3 to 1/2 length of spikelet, ovate, .04 to .08 inch, keeled, 3-5-nerved, glabrous, tip bluntly to sharply pointed; upper glume narrowly elliptic-ovate, .09 to .14 inch, 5- or 7-nerved, tip acuminate; lowermost lemma usually sterile, narrowly elliptic-ovate, 5-nerved; fertile lemma narrowly oblong-elliptic, bluntly pointed; palea with minute tuft of hairs at tip.

Ecology

Habitat

Low moist areas, ditches, stream banks, roadsides, marsh borders; prefers shade.

Distribution

Southeast corner of Kansas

Practical Information

Forage Value

Beaked panicum has good grazing value for cattle and horses, but is rarely abundant.

Uses

Upland birds and waterfowl eat the seeds.

Additional Notes