Panicum amarum Ell.

Locations ofPanicum amarum Ell. in Virginia

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Detail

Family
Poaceae
Botanical Name
Panicum amarum Ell.
Common Name
Bitter Seabeach Grass
Synonym(s)
Panicum amarum Ell. var. amarum
Flora of Virginia Name/Status
Panicum amarum Ell. var. amarum
Comments
Map incomplete at present. See Comments under map of the Panicum amarum complex and species map of Panicum amarulum. Although Palmer (1975) reduced them to vars. of Panicum amarum, P. amarum and P. amarulum were traditionally treated as separate species and differ in a consistent set of morphological and ecological characters. Although the two sometimes co-occur in Coastal dune systems, var. amarum is most abundant on foredunes, upper beaches, and overwash flats while var. amarulum is primarily found on secondary dunes and inland sands. Based on these differences, we are following Flora of the Southeastern U.S. in once again recognizing these taxa as species.
Habitat
Foredune grasslands, upper beaches, and overwash flats; less frequently in openings in secondary dune scrub and dune woodlands. Locally common in the outer Coastal Plain maritime zone, including the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay and along the shores of estuarine rivers inland; unlike P. amarulum, this variety is rarely, if ever, found off dunes and beaches.
Native Status
Native

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