Bothriochloa barbinodis
Cane Bluestem
Field view of Bothriochloa barbinodis, common name Cane Bluestem. It is too small to be any kind of cane, and the stem is not blue. |
A rather small whole plant seen from above. |
The inflorescence is a pretty white color in the sun, but can look darker in other light. |
The "fingers" of the seedhead. |
By lamplight the seedheads look darker but sometimes you can see the seed structure better. |
Young plants like these on the right will be spike-like with a narrowed seedhead. Grid is 1/4-inch. |
Here is a single spikelet showing the the tuft of long hairs protruding from it and the half inch bent awn. |
The typical dense, messy base of the plant. |
The roots and a few inflorescences of Bothriochloa barbinodis. |
How to Identify Cane Bluestem
The panicle has little fingers. The seedhead is white in the sunshine and looks "puffy" and soft. On close inspection you can see the bent awns. Bothriochloa barbinodis is short to medium high, from less than knee high to waist high.
Similar Species
Arizona Cottontop (Digitaria californica) is white and fluffy
but has a long, slim, puffy seedhead with no "fingers."
Yellow Bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum, below) looks almost the same, but its
seedheads are red or dark red.
