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. 2019 May 31;123(7):1099–1118. doi: 10.1093/aob/mcz051

Table 3.

Bud production per tiller (ramet) of various dominant perennial grasses

Species Growth form Photosynthetic pathway MAP (mm) Location Time of year Undisturbed buds/tiller Fire buds/ tiller Grazing buds/ tiller
Agropyron desertorum Caespitose C3 420 Utah, USA May, June 4.5–5.61,2
Agropyron spicatum Caespitose C3 420 Utah, USA May, June 6.7–7.01,2
Andropogon gerardii var. paucipilus Rhizomatous C4 437 Nebraska, USA October 4.5–5.23
Andropogon gerardii Rhizomatous C4 499 South Dakota, USA Autumn 6.34
835 Kansas, USA September–November 8.25
Aristida diffusa Caespitose C4 425 Khama, Botswana March, May 1.36
Aristida junciformis Caespitose C4 340 Khutse, Botswana March, May 2.66
Aristida meridionalis Caespitose C4 425 Khama, Botswana March, May 1.37
Aristida purpurea Caespitose C4 295 Eastern Montana, USA August, September 11.58 6.5–7.08
Aristida stipitata Caespitose C4 500 Kumakwane, Botswana March 2.17
Bouteloua curtipendula Rhizomatous C4 439 Texas, USA November 3.5–4.39 4.2–4.4*9
835 Kansas, USA October 3.510
Bouteloua eriopoda Stoloniferous C4 264 Jornada, New Mexico, USA October 1.0–1.511
Bouteloua gracilis Rhizomatous C4 339 Eastern Montana, USA March, September, November 3.9–5.212 3.6–8.612
Brachiaria nigropedata Caespitose C4 425 Khama, Botswana March, May 2.86
Calamovilfa longifolia Rhizomatous C4 437 Nebraska, USA October 1.33
Cymbopogon pospischilii Caespitose C4 425 Khama, Botswana March, May 1.96
Dichanthelium oligosanthes Caespitose C3 835 Kansas, USA November–December 4.65
Digitaria californica Caespitose C4 394 Arizona, USA Winter 3.313
Digitaria eriantha Caespitose C4 425 Khama, Botswana March, May 2.66
Eragrostis lehmanniana Caespitose C4 500 Kumakwane, Botswana March 2.17
Hesperostipa comata Caespitose C3 339 Eastern Montana, USA March, September, November 1.4–4.312 1.4–3.912
499 Western South Dakota, USA Autumn 2.114
Hilaria belangeri Stoloniferous C4 439 Texas, USA November 1.9–2.79 1.7–2.3*9
Hyperthelia dissoluta Caespitose C4 425 Khama, Botswana March, May 2.36
Koeleria pyramidata Caespitose C3 835 Kansas, USA Grow. Seas. 1.715
Leymus chinensis Rhizomatous C3 471 Jilin, China September 1.5–1.816
Nassella viridula Caespitose C3 499 South Dakota, USA Autumn 3.514
Pascopyrum smithii Rhizomatous C3 339 Eastern Montana, USA March, September, November 3.4–3.912 3.2–6.112
499 Western South Dakota, USA Autumn 2.617
Pennisetum macrourum Caespitose C4 425 Khama, Botswana March, May 3.36
Piptochaetium napostaense Caespitose C3 344 South-east La Pampa, Argentina July/growing season 1.6–2.318,19 0.6–1.418
400 August–November 2.520 2.0–2.2†20
Poa ligularis Caespitose C3 280 AES, Argentina Growing season 1.2–2.921 1.2–2.8†21
400 La Pampa, Argentina August–November 2.020 1.2–1.3†20
Schizachyrium scoparium Caespitose C4 835 Kansas, USA October 5.322
Sorghastrum nutans Rhizomatous C4 629 Nebraska, USA November 6.023
835 Kansas, USA November 7.023
1041‡ Oklahoma, USA November 3.523
Sporobolus heterolepis Caespitose C4 835 Kansas, USA Growing season 3.415
Stipa gynerioides Caespitose C3 344 South-east La Pampa, Argentina July 2.2–2.318 0.7–2.118
Stipa tenuis Caespitose C3 344 La Pampa, Argentina June, July/growing season 1.7–2.618,19,24 0.7–1.618,24
Stipagrostis uniplumis Caespitose C4 320 Kang, Botswana March 1.820

*In a grazed pasture; directly grazed or clipped; sampled in a drought year well below MAP; note that rhizomatous grasses may have buds that were uncounted on their rhizomes.

AES, Agropecuarian Experimental Station near San Carlos de Bariloche; MAP, mean annual precipitation.