Poaceae
Danthonia

Danthonia sericea Nutt.

First published in Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 1: 71 (1818)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is E. U.S.A. to Texas. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50-100 cm long; disarticulating at the nodes. Leaf-sheaths pilose, or hirsute. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10-25 cm long; 2-4 mm wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open, or contracted; linear; 6-10 cm long. Primary panicle branches bearing 2-6 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 4-9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 12-17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pubescent.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 4-9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 12-17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 12-17 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3-5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 12-17 mm long; 3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3-5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; 4-5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.25 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 5-7 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 4-5 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; glabrous. Anthers 3.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Cleistogene
Cleistogenes present; in lower sheaths.
Distribution
North America: northeast USA and southeast .
Reference
Arundineae. Gould 1993.
[GB]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0