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Pennisetum alopecuroides

(Chinese Fountain Grass)

Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Click on the language to view common names.

Common Names in Chinese:

Da Gou Cao, Gou Wei Cao, Gou Zi Wei, Lang Wei Cao, Lang Wei Cao (Medicinale Name), Xiao Wang Cao, You Bao Cao

Common Names in English:

Chinese Fountain Grass, Chinese Fountaingrass, Chinese Millet Grass, Chinese Pennisetum, Chinese-Fountain Grass, Fountain Grass, Foxtail Fountain Grass, Swamp Foxtail, Swamp Foxtail Grass, Swamp-Foxtail

Common Names in Estonian:

Austraalia Hiidhirss

Common Names in German:

Chinesisches Federborstengras

Common Names in Polish:

Pirkwka Spaszczona, Rosplenica Japoska

Description

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Family Poaceae

Annual or perennial herbs, or tall woody bamboos . Flowering stems (culms ) jointed , internodes hollow or solid; branches arising singly from nodes and subtended by a leaf sheath and 2-keeled prophyll, often fascicled in bamboos. Leaves arranged alternately in 2 ranks , differentiated into sheath, blade , and an adaxial erect appendage at sheath/blade junction (ligule) ; leaf sheath surrounding and supporting culm-internode, split to base or infrequently tubular with partially or completely fused margins , modified with reduced blade in bamboos (culm sheaths) ; leaf blades divergent, usually long, narrow and flat, but varying from inrolled and filiform to ovate , veins parallel, sometimes with cross-connecting veinlets (especially in bamboos) ; ligule membranous or a line of hairs . Inflorescence terminal or axillary , an open, contracted , or spikelike panicle, or composed of lax to spikelike racemes arranged along an elongate central axis, or digitate, paired , or occasionally solitary; axillary inflorescences often many, subtended by spatheoles (specialized bladeless leaf sheaths) and gathered into a leafy compound panicle; spikelets often aggregated into complex clusters in bamboos. Spikelets composed of distichous bracts arranged along a slender axis (rachilla) ; typically 2 lowest bracts (glumes ) empty, subtending 1 to many florets ; glumes often poorly differentiated from accompanying bracts in bamboos. Florets composed of 2 opposing bracts enclosing a single small flower, outer bract (lemma) clasping the more delicate, usually 2-keeled inner bract (palea) ; base of floret often with thickened prolongation articulated with rachilla (callus) ; lemma often with apical or dorsal bristle (awn ), glumes also sometimes awned . Flowers bisexual or unisexual ; lodicules (small scales representing perianth) 2, rarely 3 or absent, 3 to many in bamboos, hyaline or fleshy ; stamens 3 rarely 1, 2, 6, or more in some bamboos, hypogynous, filaments capillary , anthers versatile; ovary 1-celled, styles (1 or) 2(rarely 3), free or united at base, topped by feathery stigmas, exserted from sides or apex of floret. Fruit normally a dry indehiscent caryopsis with thin pericarp firmly adherent to seed, pericarp rarely free, fleshy in some bamboos; embryo small or large; hilum punctate to linear .

About 700 genera and 11,000 species: widely distributed in all regions of the world.[1]

Genus Pennisetum

Annuals or perennials . Culms tufted or rhizomatous , prostrate to over 3 m tall. Leaf blades flat, folded or convolute; ligule a ciliate membrane . Inflorescence a spikelike panicle, cylindrical to subglobose; branches numerous , contracted into short clusters of one or more spikelets subtended by an involucre of bristles ; involucres sessile or with a short basal stipe, deciduous with the spikelets at maturity leaving peduncle stumps or scars on the main axis; bristles slender, scabrous , sometimes plumose , simple or very rarely branched, very unequal, outer shorter, often innermost stouter and conspicuously exceeding the rest. Spikelets usually lanceolate, dorsally compressed , herbaceous, acute or obtuse , florets 2, glumes and lower lemma variable; glumes often small and not exceeding 1/2 spikelet length; lower lemma staminate or neuter , equaling spikelet or reduced; upper lemma equaling spikelet, herbaceous or indurated , obtuse to acute. x = 9.

About 80 species: throughout the tropics; 11 species (four endemic, four introduced ) in China.

Pennisetum is a large and variable genus, but the bristly , spikelike inflorescence is always readily recognizable. The only other panicoid genus with a similar bristly inflorescence is Setaria, but in that genus the bristles are not deciduous with the spikelets, instead remaining on the rachis at maturity. The bristles are derived from reduced panicle branches.

Many species provide good forage . Several species, including Pennisetum glaucum in China, are used for food.[2]

Physical Description

Species Pennisetum alopecuroides

Perennial forming dense tussocks . Culms stout, 30-120 cm tall, hispid below inflorescence. Leaf sheaths papery , keeled , imbricate at culm base ; leaf blades linear , flat or often involute , 10-80 × 0.3-1 cm, base papillose-hispid, apex long acuminate; ligule 0.5-2.5 mm. Inflorescence linear, 5-25 × 1.5-3.5 cm; axis hispid, peduncle stumps short with crateriform tips ; involucre usually enclosing one spikelet , rarely 2, basal stipe (1-) 2-3 mm; bristles greenish or purple, longest 2-3 cm but not conspicuously longer than the others, all slender, hispid. Spikelet lanceolate, 5-8 mm; lower glume 0.6-3 mm, 0-1-veined, obtuse ; upper glume ovate-lanceolate, 1/3-2/3 as long as spikelet, 3-5-veined; lower lemma as long as spikelet, 7-11-veined; upper lemma lanceolate, as long as spikelet, papery, acuminate; anthers usually glabrous , occasionally with 1 or 2 hairs at tip. Fl. and fr. summer and autumn. 2n = 18. [source]

Habit: Clumping

Flowers: Mauve , arching , foxtail flower heads . Blooms late summer. • Bloom Period: June. • Flower Color: maroon, red • Flower Conspicuous: Foxtail-like plumes tinged pink

Foliage: Summer foliage: Narrow, rich green leaves form soft, loose mound.

Size/Age/Growth

Growth Rate: Fast. • Size: 24-36" tall.

Landscaping

Landscape Uses: Looks great in mass or as edging along walkways. Water or poolside plantings . Accent. • Care: Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system . For a neat appearance , remove old foliage before new leaves emerge . Divide clumps every 2 to 3 years in early spring .

Habitat

Grassy hillsides, roadsides, field margins ; sea level to 3200 m (Ref. 102467).

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 4,028 meters (0 to 13,215 feet).[3]

Biology

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Growth

Culture: Space 18-24" apart.

Soil: Organic , moist, well-drained soil.

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun .

Moisture: Water Requirements: Water regularly, when top 3" of soil is dry.

Temperature: Heat Zones: High: 9 (>120 to 150 days) Low:1 (< 1 days) (map) • Cold Hardiness: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b. (map)

Taxonomy

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Unambiguous Synonyms

  1. Cenchrus purpurascens Thunberg
  2. Gymnotrix japonica (Trinius) Kunth Var. viridescens Miquel
  3. P. chinense Steudel
  4. P. compressum R. Brown
  5. P. dispiculatum L. C. Chia
  6. P. japonicum Trinius
  7. P. purpurascens (Thunberg) Kuntze (1891), Not Kunth (1816).
  8. Panicum alopecuroides L.
  9. Panicum alopecuroides Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 55. 1753
  10. Penicillaria alopecuroides (L.) Sweet
  11. Pennisetum alopecuroides var. erythrochaetum Ohwi

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000.

Place of publication : Syst. veg. 1:303. 1824

Name verified on 25-Oct-1995 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last updated: 18-Oct-2001.

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Pennisetum

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 364 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

P. adoense · P. advena (Foreign Fountaingrass) · P. alapecuroides · P. albicauda · P. alopecuroides (Chinese Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides black · P. alopecuroides 'Black Beauty' · P. alopecuroides 'Bruno Ears' · P. alopecuroides 'Cassian's Choice' · P. alopecuroides 'Cassian' (Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Caudatum' · P. alopecuroides 'Desert Plains' · P. alopecuroides f. erythrochaetum 'Ferris' · P. alopecuroides f. viridescens · P. alopecuroides 'Foxtrot' (Foxtrot Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Fox Trot' (Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Hameln' (Hameln Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Herbstzauber' · P. alopecuroides 'Little Bunny' (Little Bunny Dwarf Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Little Honey' (Dwarf Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Little Richie' · P. alopecuroides 'Magic' · P. alopecuroides 'Moudry' (Black Flowering Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'National Arboretum' (National Arboretum Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Piglet' · P. alopecuroides 'Redhead' · P. alopecuroides 'Red Head' · P. alopecuroides var. albiflorum · P. alopecuroides var. Hamelin (Chinese Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides var. purpurascens · P. alopecuroides var. viridescens (Black-Flowered Fountain Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Weserbergland' (Ornamental Grass) · P. alopecuroides 'Woodside' · P. alopecuros · P. americanum · P. americanum 'Civt' · P. americanum americanum · P. amethystinum · P. amoenum · P. ancylochaete · P. angolense · P. angustifolium · P. annuum · P. antillarum · P. araneosum · P. arnhemicum · P. articulare · P. arvense · P. asperifolium · P. asperum · P. atrichum · P. aureum · P. bambusiforme · P. baojiense · P. barbatum · P. barteri · P. basedowii · P. beckeroides · P. benthami · P. blepharideum · P. borbonicum · P. brachystachyum · P. breve · P. breviflorum · P. caffrum · P. calyculatum · P. caninum · P. carneum · P. catabasis · P. cauda-ratti · P. caudatum (White Flowering Fountain Grass) · P. cenchroides · P. centrasiaticum · P. cereale · P. chevalieri · P. chilense · P. chudeaui · P. ciliare (African Foxtail Grass) · P. ciliares · P. ciliare var. ciliare (Buffelgrass) · P. ciliare var. setigerum (Cow Sandbur) · P. ciliatum · P. cinereum · P. cladestinum · P. clandestinum (Kikuyugrass Pennisetum Clandestinum) · P. cognatum · P. complanatum (Nicaraguan Fountaingrass) · P. compressum · P. corrugatum · P. crinitum · P. crus-galli · P. cupreum · P. cylindricum · P. cynosuroides · P. dalzielii · P. darfuricum · P. dasistachyum · P. dasystachyum · P. davyi · P. densiflorum

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 15, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. Shou-liang Chen, De-Zhu Li, Guanghua Zhu, Zhenlan Wu, Sheng-lian Lu, Liang Liu, Zheng-ping Wang, Bi-xing Sun, Zheng-de Zhu, Nianhe Xia, Liang-zhi Jia, Zhenhua Guo, Wenli Chen, Xiang Chen, Yang Guangyao, Sylvia M. Phillips, Chris Stapleton, Robert J. Soreng, Susan G. Aiken, Nikolai N. Tzvelev, Paul M. Peterson, Stephen A. Renvoize, Marina V. Olonova & Klaus Ammann "Poaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 22. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  2. Shou-liang Chen & Sylvia M. Phillips "Pennisetum". in Flora of China Vol. 22 Page 1, 499, 548, 553. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  3. Mean = 619.190 meters (2,031.463 feet), Standard Deviation = 623.440 based on 180 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
Last Revised: 7/1/2009