Diarrhena americana
| Diarrhena americana | |
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| 1950 drawing | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| (unranked): | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Genus: | Diarrhena |
| Species: | D. americana |
| Binomial name | |
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Diarrhena americana P.Beauv. 1812 |
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| Synonyms | |
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Diarrhena americana, also known as American beak grass or American beakgrain, is a native, perennial bunchgrass of North America.
Historically, Diarrhena americana was the only species of beak grass recognized in the United States; however studies have suggested that the known beak grass is to be classified into two distinct species, Diarrhena americana and Diarrhena obovata.
Diarrhena americana naturally occurs throughout the Mid-Western United States, including in eastern Oklahoma and Missouri; south to Alabama; east to Kentucky, the Appalachian Mountains and northern Maryland; and north to southern Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and southern Michigan.
The grass plant lives in rich cove forests and woodlands, preferring to grow in the moist soils of shaded ledges and riverbanks. t grows in rich, moist woodlands from Missouri to Maryland and south to Oklahoma and Alabama.
Diarrhena americana is a bunchgrass that grows in 2–3 feet (0.61–0.91 m) tall clumps. It has bright green leaf blades, that can grow up to 0.75 inches (1.9 cm) in width.
These perennial plants can grow flowers that grow above the foliage, with 3 inch tall floral spikes, during the early to mid-summer. Culms range from 60–131 cm in height.
By late summer the flowers turn into hard, brown seed heads. Each seed is reduced to a blunt beak, which is where the common name of beak grass comes from, and this beak is dispersed.
Diarrhena americana is cultivated as an ornamental grass, grown in traditional and wildlife gardens, and in natural landscaping projects.
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Wikipedia