PlantaeDB Logo
Login Sign-up

Genus Dichelachne in Family Poaceae

In botanical taxonomy, a genus (plural genera) is a rank used to group closely related species within a family. In the hierarchy, genus sits below family and above species.

Genera are defined by shared morphological, anatomical, and genetic characteristics (for example, features of flowers, fruits, seeds, or leaves) that indicate a close evolutionary relationship among the species they contain.

Each genus can include one or more species. Examples include Rosa (roses) and Solanum (nightshades, including tomato and eggplant).

Do you wish to read more about plant taxonomy? Click here!

Genus Description

Suggest a correction!

Dichelachne is a small temperate grass genus in Poaceae, placed in tribe Poeae, subtribe Agrostidinae (Snow, 2003; Soreng et al., 2023). It comprises about eight species distributed across Australia and New Zealand, with several island endemics (Jacobs, 2001; Jacobs and Everett, 2000; Govaerts et al., 2024). The type species is Dichelachne crinita, described by Endlicher (Jacobs, 2001; POWO, 2024).

The genus is a suite of perennial, caespitose grasses with solid, unbranched culms bearing open or contracted panicles of compact, ovate spikelets. Diagnostic features include two glumes that are relatively long, acuminate to short-awned, and two lemmas that are awned from near the apex with typically three subterminal awns (one prominent central awn flanked by two shorter lateral ones), anthers 0.5–2 mm, and paleas that are shorter than the lemmas and awnless (Jacobs, 2001). Caryopses are tightly enveloped by the hardened lemma and palea at maturity.

Centers of diversity lie in New South Wales and New Zealand, with several endemics restricted to islands such as Norfolk, Lord Howe, Macquarie, and the Kermadec Islands (Govaerts et al., 2024). Species occur from sea level to alpine tussocklands, favoring open, dry to moist grasslands, forests, cliff faces, and rock outcrops (Jacobs, 2001).

Dichelachne is wind-pollinated, and its awns assist in diaspore entanglement for short-distance dispersal (Jacobs, 2001). Chromosome numbers are mostly 2n = 28, with a base number x = 14 supported by Australian records (Jacobs, 2001).

No formal subgeneric classification is widely used, and the genus is morphologically and phylogenetically close to Agrostis, from which it is distinguished by the two glumes and consistently three-awned lemmas. While some treatments have merged Dichelachne with Agrostis, most recent floras maintain the separation based on robust morphological evidence (Jacobs, 2001; Jacobs and Everett, 2000). Taxonomy across Pacific endemics is stable for major taxa, but species delimitations in island groups warrant further study (Govaerts et al., 2024).

Human relevance remains limited: Dichelachne species are occasionally used in ornamental landscaping and habitat restoration, and they may act as forage in native grasslands; however, none are major crops or timbers (Jacobs, 2001).

Conservation concerns focus on island endemics threatened by invasive grasses, herbivory, and habitat modification (Jacobs, 2001; Govaerts et al., 2024). Molecular phylogenetic refinement and targeted island surveys are needed to clarify relationships and safeguard diversity.

Pick a Species to see its components: