BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Sorghastrum nutans | Indiangrass 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Indiangrass is a perennial, native, warm-season grass with short, scaley
rhizomes.  Plants grow upright and robust, from 3.3 to 6.6 feet (1 to 2
m).  Inflorescences are a striking yellow or golden color, with hairy,
grayish branches [69].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Geophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Sexual:  Indiangrass seeds germinate readily unless they are buried
deeper than 0.5 inch (1.25 cm).  The vigorous seedlings endure a wider
range of drought conditions than most lowland grasses [76].  Cold
stratification is a requirement for germination [75].

Vegetative:  Indiangrass produces short rhizomes, which are often very
abundant and may extend to depths of 6 feet (1.8 m).  Tillering is
limited or reduced by severe competition [76].



SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Indiangrass grows in prairies, bottomlands, open woods, and meadows.  In
Nebraska it is common on subirrigated and overflow range sites.  It
thrives on deep, moist soils varying from heavy clays to coarse sands
[75].  It is moderately tolerant of salt and acid, and may be common on
mildly saline, subirrigated sites [69,75].  It has been found on soils
with a pH as low as 4.5 [75].  Indiangrass tolerates brief or periodic
flooding, water tables in the second foot of soil, and imperfect
drainage [75].  Soils which support indiangrass include sandy- and
medium-textured soils [41], limestone breaks [7], and silty clay loams
[34].  It was found on claypan range sites in Kansas, but abudance was
low [7].

Common associates include big bluestem, little bluestem (Schizachyrium
scoparium), and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) [34,69].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Facultative Seral Species

Indiangrass dominates climax tallgrass or true prairies along with big
bluestem, little bluestem, and switchgrass [4,64].  It may occur as
isolated plants but usually grows in distinct bunches where moisture
conditions are favorable [4].  It forms 90 percent of the vegetation
where local stands occur in ravines, but only 5 to 20 percent where best
developed in drier areas.  Indiangrass is moderately shade tolerant,
often occurring only in brushy thickets in the South where herbivores
are unable to graze it [75].  Indiangrass readily invades disturbed
areas with bare soil [13,76].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Indiangrass starts growth in midspring from short rhizomes.  In Oklahoma
growth began on April 6th [60].  It matures from September to November
[69].  Across its range, flowering occurs latest in the southeast and
earliest in the northwest.  Flowering patterns may be somewhat genetic.
Flowering dates of plants transplanted in Nebraska from several regions
were similar to those of the plants where they originated [51].
Flowering dates for different regions have been reported as follows:

Area                   Flowering Date             Authority

Texas                  September to November      Gould 1937
Oklahoma               September 1 to 19          Rice 1950, Bogle 1989
Kansas                 mid-September              Albertson
Missouri               August                     Rabinowitz & others 1989
eastern Nebraska       August                     Steiger 1930
North Dakota           mid-July to mid-August     Manske 1980

Related categories for Species: Sorghastrum nutans | Indiangrass