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| Synonyms: |
Andropogon giganteus Hochst. Cymbopogon giganteus Chiov. |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
See C. caesius subsp. caesius. for general description of the species. |
| Notes: | The species-group is characterized by having distinct swollen and fused lowermost internodes and pedicels. C. caesius sens. lat. (subsp. caesius and subsp. giganteus) shows great range of variation in habit and leaf size. Such characters are not fully correlated with each other and are certainly not correlated with any other character. Nevertheless, a reasonable number of specimens can be separated into those with delicate wiry culms and those with more robust culms by using lamina width. But there is a continuous range of variation in these and all other characters. The more robust plants (subsp. giganteus) are restricted to the northern, more tropical areas. Further studies are needed to ascertain whether the differences in habit between the two extremes of the range of variation are merely those of phenotypic plasticity or not. Lamina width can vary greatly in an individual and measurements should be taken of the widest leaves in a specimen. |
| Derivation of specific name: | caesius: bluish-grey; giganteus: huge, gigantic |
| Habitat: | Growing in grassland, savanna, open forest, dambos, fallow fields, waste ground and old maize fields, and along roadsides |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Centred in tropical Africa with extensions further south |
| Botswana distribution: | N,SW |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Cope, T.A. (2002). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(4) Pages 76 - 80. (Includes a picture). Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 34. As Cymbopogon giganteus Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 101. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 133. |
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