Poaceae
Grass Family
Northern dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis (Gray) Gray
- Stem: perennial; tufted, older plants with a large mound of old stem bases; 2’ to 3’ tall; smooth.
- Leaves: sheath smooth, tufts of hairs at the top on each side at the junction with the blade; ligule of hairs; blade 2’ by 1/16”, becoming very narrow near the tip, smooth.
- Inflorescence: diffuse, branching flower stalk (panicle); to 8” long; very fine and inconspicuous.
- Spikelets: 5/32” long; with a single floret; upper glume longer than the lemma; flowering from mid-August to early September.
- Fruits: grain 3/32” in diameter, round; with an outer coating that absorbs water and swells; the germ (embryo) is dark colored while the endosperm is nearly transparent; fruiting begins in late August; grains begin falling in early September.
- Habitat: infrequent on dry to mesic prairies; more common in southwestern Iowa.
- Notes: Older plants have a large mound of old stems at the center of the plant. The long leaves droop to the ground all around, preventing competing plants from growing close by.
- Bibliography from Biodiversity Heritage Library
- Vascular Plants of Iowa
Can be found in these counties:
