Desert Panicgrass
Scientific Name: Panicum urvilleanum Kunth
| General Information | |
|---|---|
| Usda Symbol | PAUR |
| Group | Monocot |
| Life Cycle | Perennial |
| Growth Habits | Graminoid |
| Native Locations | PAUR |
Plant Guide
Description
General: Desert panicgrass is a native, perennial, rhizomatous or stoloniferous grass that grows from 20 to 40 inches tall. The robust culms grow erect, either solitary or in bunches, from the rhizomes and stolons. Leaf sheaths and nodes are hairy and the leaf blades may have fine hairs on the upper surface. The inflorescence is an open panicle 10 to 12 inches long. Spikelets are covered in silvery or tawny fine hairs. Flowering time is between March and June (Abrams, 1923; Freckman and Webster, 2017; Hitchcock and Chase 1950; Kearney and Peebles 1964). Distribution: Desert panicgrass is found in southern California, southern Nevada, Arizona, and northern Mexico, as well as in Argentina and Chile. Please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site for the most current map of species distribution. Habitat: Desert panicgrass is found in sandy soils and dunes, particularly in and around desert riparian areas and river channel sand dunes. It is typically found at elevations below 4000 ft.
Adaptation
Desert panicgrass is found in riparian plant communities and sand dunes of the Mojave Desert and the southern Colorado River basin in the United States. Desert panicgrass is adapted to growing in active sand dunes. It grows quickly enough to outstrip sand accumulation, and can also survive sand excavation by the wind (Bowers, 1982). Associated plants include: Willow (Salix spp.), saltcedar (Tamarix spp.), mesquite (Prosopis spp.), creosote bush (Larrea tridentata), and Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides).
Uses
Desert panicgrass is an early seral dune stabilization species in the Mojave desert (Keeler-Wolf, 2007). It forms a sparse cover that begins to stabilize open dunes and sand deposits (Comer et al., 2012), showing promise for use in the revegetation of sandy critical areas to prevent wind erosion. Desert panicgrass also provides cover and food (seed) for wildlife.
Ethnobotany
The seeds of desert panicgrass are edible, The Cahuilla Tribe of the Coachella Valley in southern California reportedly gathered and singed the seeds, then boiled them to make porridge (Bean and Saubel, 1972), Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Desert Panicgrass.,
Status
Threatened or Endangered: No. Wetland Indicator: Desert panicgrass is not a wetland indicator species. Weedy or Invasive: Desert panicgrass is not known to be an invasive species. Please consult with your local NRCS Field Office, Cooperative Extension Service office, state natural resource, or state agriculture department regarding its status and use. Please consult the PLANTS Web site (34TUhttp://plants.usda.gov/) U34Tand your state’s Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status (e.g., threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values). Natural Resources Conservation Service Plant Guide Desert panicgrass, Photo by Mary Wolf, USDA NRCS Tucson Plant Materials Center
Planting Guidelines
The recommended seeding rate for desert panicgrass is 8.5 pure live seed (PLS) pounds per acre if planted with a drill and approximately 16 PLS pounds per acre if seed is broadcast. There are approximately 100,000 seeds of desert panicgrass in a pound. Cold stratification does not improve germination or seedling vigor (Lair, 2015). For containerized production, sow desert panicgrass to a depth of 1.5 inches in a well-drained soil.
Pests and Potential Problems
None known.
Environmental Concerns
Concerns
Concerns
None known.
Control
Please contact your local agricultural extension specialist or county weed specialist to learn what works best in your area and how to use it safely. Always read label and safety instructions for each control method. Trade names and control measures appear in this document only to provide specific information. USDA NRCS does not guarantee or warranty the products and control methods named, and other products may be equally effective.
Seeds and Plant Production
Plant Production
Plant Production
Desert panicgrass should be planted in the early spring into a firm, weed free seedbed at a depth of 1 to 2 inches, with 24-40 inches within-row spacing. Row spacing can vary from 36-40 inches. The planting should be irrigated to maintain a moist soil surface and to avoid soil crusting. Appropriate pre-emergent herbicide may be used to control weeds after the plants have developed at least 3-5 leaves. Established fields should be irrigated approximately every four weeks during the growing season. Apply nutrients according to soil test results. Irrigated fields produce seed in the late spring, and may produce seed later in the year depending on environmental conditions and management. Mechanical seed harvest is with a seed stripper or combine. Harvested seed can be cleaned by processing with a brush machine or hammer mill and air screening equipment. Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials No cultivars of desert panicgrass are currently available on the commercial market.
Literature Cited
Abrams, L. 1923. An Illustrated Flora of the Pacific States. Stanford University Press. Stanford, CA. Bean L.J. & K.S. Saubel 1972. Temalpakh: Cahuilla Indian knowledge and usage of plants. Malki Museum Press, Morongo Indian Reservation, Banning, CA. Bowers, J.E. 1982. The plant ecology of inland dunes in western North America. Journal of Arid Environments (1982) 5, 199-220. Comer, P. J., B. Young, K. Schulz, G. Kittel, B. Unnasch, D. Braun, G. Hammerson, L. Smart, H. Hamilton, S. Auer, R. Smyth, and J. Hak. 2012. Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Strategies for Natural Communities: Piloting methods in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts. Report to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. NatureServe, Arlington, VA. Freckman, R.W. and R. Webster. 2017. Panicum urvilleanum, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 17TJepson eFlora17T, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=36167, accessed on July 21, 2017. Hitchcock, A.S. 1971. Manual of the grasses of the United States (Second Edition, Rev. by Agnes Chase). Dover Publications, Inc., New York, NY. Kearney, T.H. and R.H. Peebles. 1964. Arizona Flora with Supplement. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA. Keeler-Wolf, T. 2007. Mojave Desert Scrub Vegetation. p. 609-657. In Barbour, M.G et al. (ed.) Terrestrial Vegetation of California. Third Edition. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. Lair, K.D. 2015. Greenhouse evaluation of germination strategies for desert panicgrass (Panicum urvilleanum Kunth.): A potential Mojave River/high desert riparian revegetation species for sandy sites. Progress Report prepared for: Victor Desert panicgrass inflorescence, Photo by Heather Dial, USDA NRCS Tucson Plant Materials Center Valley Community College, Lewis Center for Educational Research, Tucson Plant Materials Center, Mojave Water Agency, Mojave Desert Resource Conservation District, and USDA-NRCS. Lair Restoration Consulting, Hesperia, CA. Citation Wolf, M. 2017. Plant Guide for desert panicgrass (Panicum urvilleanum). USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Tucson Plant Materials Center. Tucson, Arizona 85705. Published September, 2017 For more information about this and other plants, please contact your local NRCS field office or Conservation District at 34TUhttp://www.nrcs.usda.gov/U 34T and visit the PLANTS Web site at 34Thttp://plants.usda.gov/34T or the Plant Materials Program Web site: 34Thttp://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov. PLANTS is not responsible for the content or availability of other Web sites. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) If you wish to file an employment complaint, you must contact your agency's 34TEEO Counselor34T (PDF) within 45 days of the date of the alleged discriminatory act, event, or in the case of a personnel action. Additional information can be found online at 34Thttp://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_file.html34T. If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the 34TUSDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form34T (PDF), found online at 34Thttp://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html34T, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at 34Tprogram.intake@usda.gov34T. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities and you wish to file either an EEO or program complaint please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339 or (800) 845-6136 (in Spanish). Persons with disabilities who wish to file a program complaint, please see information above on how to contact us by mail directly or by email. If you require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) please contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). For any other information dealing with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) issues, persons should either contact the USDA SNAP Hotline Number at (800) 221-5689, which is also in Spanish or call the 34TState Information/Hotline Numbers34T. For any other information not pertaining to civil rights, please refer to the listing of the 34TUSDA Agencies and Offices34T for specific agency information.