Diplachne dubia (Kunth) Scribn.
Scientific Name: Diplachne dubia (Kunth) Scribn.
| General Information | |
|---|---|
| Usda Symbol | DIDU |
| Group | Monocot |
| Life Cycle | Perennial |
| Growth Habits | Graminoid |
| Native Locations | DIDU |
Plant Guide
Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Diplachne dubia (Kunth) Scribn..
Fact Sheet
Alternate Names
zacate gigante, green spangletop.
Uses
Green sprangletop is grazed readily by all livestock, especially when green and succulent.
Status
Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status, such as, state noxious status and wetland indicator values.
Description
Grass Family (Poaceae), Green sprangletop is a native, warm-season, short-lived, perennial bunch grass, The height ranges from 1 to 3 feet, The leaf blade is 6 to 18 inches long, usually flat, and sometimes folded, The leaf sheaths are sometimes longer than the internodes, flattened, and often purplish, The ligule is hairy, Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Diplachne dubia (Kunth) Scribn.., The seedhead is a spreading, open, nodding panicle 4 to 12 inches long, consisting of 5 to 20 slender, well separated branches 2 to 5 inches long, Each spikelet is 5- to 8-flowered, Distribution: For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site,
Management
During the dormant season, it furnishes good quality forage, but should be supplemented with a protein concentrate. It is used in range seeding mixtures. When this grass is a key management species, no more than 50 percent of current growth by weight should be removed at any season. Summer and fall grazing deferments of at least 90 days improve vigor, increase seed production, and provide forage for winter use. The seedhead turns pale and droops at maturity. From Hitchcock (1950) @ plants.usda.gov
Establishment
Growth starts about April. If moisture is scarce, it may become semi-dormant in the summer and make new growth after the fall rains. It becomes dormant in the late fall. It may produce two seed crops, one in the spring and one in the fall. It is best adapted to deep sandy soils in Florida and to rocky hills and canyons in the rest of its range. It is seldom found on deep clay or deep sandy soils in the western part of its range. Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin) Please contact your local NRCS Field Office.
Plant Traits
Growth Requirements
| CaCO3 Tolerance | High |
|---|---|
| Frost Free Days, Minimum | 210 |
| Frost Free Days, Minimum | 210 |
| Frost Free Days, Minimum | 210 |
| Fire Tolerance | High |
| Fire Tolerance | High |
| Fire Tolerance | High |
| Fertility Requirement | Medium |
| Fertility Requirement | Medium |
| Fertility Requirement | Medium |
| Drought Tolerance | High |
| Drought Tolerance | High |
| Drought Tolerance | High |
| Cold Stratification Required | No |
| Cold Stratification Required | No |
| Cold Stratification Required | No |
| Temperature, Minimum (°F) | -13 |
| CaCO3 Tolerance | High |
| CaCO3 Tolerance | High |
| Anaerobic Tolerance | Low |
| Anaerobic Tolerance | Low |
| Anaerobic Tolerance | Low |
| Adapted to Medium Textured Soils | Yes |
| Adapted to Medium Textured Soils | Yes |
| Adapted to Medium Textured Soils | Yes |
| Adapted to Fine Textured Soils | Yes |
| Adapted to Fine Textured Soils | Yes |
| Adapted to Fine Textured Soils | Yes |
| Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils | Yes |
| Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils | Yes |
| Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils | Yes |
| Hedge Tolerance | None |
| Temperature, Minimum (°F) | -13 |
| Temperature, Minimum (°F) | -13 |
| Shade Tolerance | Intolerant |
| Shade Tolerance | Intolerant |
| Shade Tolerance | Intolerant |
| Salinity Tolerance | Low |
| Salinity Tolerance | Low |
| Salinity Tolerance | Low |
| Root Depth, Minimum (inches) | 14 |
| Root Depth, Minimum (inches) | 14 |
| Root Depth, Minimum (inches) | 14 |
| Precipitation, Minimum | 12 |
| Precipitation, Minimum | 12 |
| Precipitation, Minimum | 12 |
| Precipitation, Maximum | 24 |
| Hedge Tolerance | None |
| Hedge Tolerance | None |
| Moisture Use | Medium |
| Moisture Use | Medium |
| Moisture Use | Medium |
| pH, Maximum | 8.0 |
| pH, Maximum | 8.0 |
| pH, Maximum | 8.0 |
| pH, Minimum | 6.0 |
| pH, Minimum | 6.0 |
| pH, Minimum | 6.0 |
| Precipitation, Maximum | 24 |
| Precipitation, Maximum | 24 |
Morphology/Physiology
| Active Growth Period | Spring and Summer |
|---|---|
| Toxicity | None |
| Toxicity | None |
| Toxicity | None |
| Shape and Orientation | Erect |
| Shape and Orientation | Erect |
| Shape and Orientation | Erect |
| Resprout Ability | No |
| Resprout Ability | No |
| Flower Conspicuous | No |
| Fall Conspicuous | No |
| Fire Resistant | No |
| Fire Resistant | No |
| Fire Resistant | No |
| Flower Color | Yellow |
| Flower Color | Yellow |
| Flower Color | Yellow |
| Flower Conspicuous | No |
| Fall Conspicuous | No |
| Flower Conspicuous | No |
| Foliage Color | Green |
| Foliage Color | Green |
| Foliage Color | Green |
| Foliage Porosity Summer | Dense |
| Foliage Porosity Summer | Dense |
| Foliage Porosity Summer | Dense |
| Foliage Porosity Winter | Porous |
| Bloat | None |
| Resprout Ability | No |
| Active Growth Period | Spring and Summer |
| Active Growth Period | Spring and Summer |
| After Harvest Regrowth Rate | Moderate |
| After Harvest Regrowth Rate | Moderate |
| After Harvest Regrowth Rate | Moderate |
| Bloat | None |
| Bloat | None |
| Nitrogen Fixation | None |
| C:N Ratio | Medium |
| C:N Ratio | Medium |
| C:N Ratio | Medium |
| Coppice Potential | No |
| Coppice Potential | No |
| Coppice Potential | No |
| Fall Conspicuous | No |
| Lifespan | Short |
| Height, Mature (feet) | 3.0 |
| Height, Mature (feet) | 3.0 |
| Known Allelopath | No |
| Known Allelopath | No |
| Known Allelopath | No |
| Leaf Retention | No |
| Leaf Retention | No |
| Leaf Retention | No |
| Foliage Porosity Winter | Porous |
| Lifespan | Short |
| Lifespan | Short |
| Low Growing Grass | No |
| Low Growing Grass | No |
| Low Growing Grass | No |
| Nitrogen Fixation | None |
| Nitrogen Fixation | None |
| Growth Rate | Rapid |
| Height, Mature (feet) | 3.0 |
| Foliage Porosity Winter | Porous |
| Foliage Texture | Coarse |
| Foliage Texture | Coarse |
| Foliage Texture | Medium |
| Fruit/Seed Color | Brown |
| Fruit/Seed Color | Brown |
| Fruit/Seed Color | Brown |
| Fruit/Seed Conspicuous | No |
| Fruit/Seed Conspicuous | No |
| Growth Form | Bunch |
| Growth Form | Bunch |
| Growth Form | Bunch |
| Growth Rate | Rapid |
| Growth Rate | Rapid |
| Fruit/Seed Conspicuous | No |
Reproduction
| Fruit/Seed Persistence | Yes |
|---|---|
| Propagated by Tubers | No |
| Propagated by Tubers | No |
| Propagated by Tubers | No |
| Propagated by Sprigs | No |
| Propagated by Sprigs | No |
| Propagated by Sprigs | No |
| Propagated by Sod | No |
| Propagated by Sod | No |
| Propagated by Sod | No |
| Propagated by Seed | Yes |
| Propagated by Seed | Yes |
| Propagated by Seed | Yes |
| Propagated by Cuttings | No |
| Propagated by Cuttings | No |
| Seed per Pound | 538000 |
| Seed per Pound | 538000 |
| Seed per Pound | 538000 |
| Seed Spread Rate | Rapid |
| Seed Spread Rate | Rapid |
| Seed Spread Rate | Rapid |
| Seedling Vigor | High |
| Seedling Vigor | High |
| Seedling Vigor | High |
| Small Grain | No |
| Small Grain | No |
| Small Grain | No |
| Vegetative Spread Rate | None |
| Vegetative Spread Rate | None |
| Vegetative Spread Rate | None |
| Propagated by Corm | No |
| Propagated by Cuttings | No |
| Bloom Period | Mid Spring |
| Bloom Period | Mid Spring |
| Bloom Period | Mid Spring |
| Commercial Availability | Routinely Available |
| Commercial Availability | Routinely Available |
| Commercial Availability | Routinely Available |
| Fruit/Seed Abundance | High |
| Fruit/Seed Abundance | High |
| Fruit/Seed Abundance | High |
| Fruit/Seed Period Begin | Spring |
| Fruit/Seed Period Begin | Spring |
| Fruit/Seed Period Begin | Spring |
| Fruit/Seed Period End | Summer |
| Fruit/Seed Period End | Summer |
| Fruit/Seed Persistence | Yes |
| Fruit/Seed Period End | Summer |
| Propagated by Corm | No |
| Propagated by Corm | No |
| Propagated by Container | No |
| Propagated by Container | No |
| Propagated by Container | No |
| Propagated by Bulb | No |
| Propagated by Bulb | No |
| Propagated by Bulb | No |
| Propagated by Bare Root | No |
| Propagated by Bare Root | No |
| Propagated by Bare Root | No |
| Fruit/Seed Persistence | Yes |
Suitability/Use
| Palatable Browse Animal | Medium |
|---|---|
| Palatable Graze Animal | High |
| Palatable Graze Animal | High |
| Palatable Graze Animal | High |
| Palatable Human | No |
| Palatable Human | No |
| Palatable Human | No |
| Post Product | No |
| Post Product | No |
| Post Product | No |
| Protein Potential | Medium |
| Protein Potential | Medium |
| Protein Potential | Medium |
| Pulpwood Product | No |
| Pulpwood Product | No |
| Pulpwood Product | No |
| Veneer Product | No |
| Veneer Product | No |
| Veneer Product | No |
| Lumber Product | No |
| Berry/Nut/Seed Product | No |
| Berry/Nut/Seed Product | No |
| Berry/Nut/Seed Product | No |
| Christmas Tree Product | No |
| Christmas Tree Product | No |
| Christmas Tree Product | No |
| Fodder Product | Yes |
| Fodder Product | Yes |
| Fodder Product | Yes |
| Palatable Browse Animal | Medium |
| Lumber Product | No |
| Lumber Product | No |
| Naval Store Product | No |
| Naval Store Product | No |
| Naval Store Product | No |
| Nursery Stock Product | No |
| Nursery Stock Product | No |
| Nursery Stock Product | No |
| Palatable Browse Animal | Medium |
