Welcome to Catnapin's
Grass Gallery
Poaceae, Panicoideae, Andropogoneae - Bluestem (Old World)
(Family, Subfamily, Tribe)
tribe Andropogoneae
King Ranch Bluestem (Yellow Bluestem) Bothriochloa ischaemum var. songarica
One of the Old World Bluestem grasses.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, September 2006, July 2007
(Cultivated, native of Africa, Europe, Asia)
Base: Perennial, clump grass, will develop rhizomes and stolons (runner stem) if overgrazed
Blade (leaf): mostly basal, 4-20cm long, 2-4mm wide, can be flat or folded, glabrous or long hairs at base
Sheath: glabrous
Culm (main grain stem): erect, 30-80cm tall
Nodes: short hairs becoming glabrous with age
Inflorescence: panicle 5-10cm long
Rachis (panicle axis): 0.5-2 cm long, 1-8 branches
Branch: 3-9cm long, erect and somewhat spreading, not branching, longer than rachis
Spikelet: 3-4.5mm long, spear shaped, awns 9-17mm long and twisted
Glume: lower ones have short hairs, no dorsal pit
tribe Andropogoneae
Caucasian Bluestem (Australian Bluestem) Bothriochloa bladhii (Bothriochloa caucasica, Andropogon bladhii)
One of the Old World Bluestem grasses.
If mixed with native grasses this one will become dominate because it matures quicker and cattle avoid it for the younger grasses.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, August 2007
(Cultivated, native of Africa, Asia, and Australia)
Base: Perennial, clump grass, no rhizomes, no stolons (runner stem)
Blade (leaf): on culm only, 20-30cm long, 3-6mm wide, glabrous with a few hairs at base
Sheath: glabrous
Culm (main grain stem): erect, 50-110cm tall
Nodes: short hairs becoming glabrous with age
Inflorescence: panicle 8-15cm long, red at maturity
Rachis (panicle axis): 6-12 cm long, many branches
Branch: 4-7cm long, erect and spreading during flowering, multiple branching, all shorter than rachis
Spikelet: 3.5-4mm long, spear shaped, awns 1.5mm long and twisted and bent
Glume: lower ones may or may not have short hairs, may or may not have dorsal pit
Copyright Notice: All photos are copyrighted and protected by the laws of the United States.
Unauthorized duplication for sale or distribution is prohibited.