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Published In: A Manual of the Botany of the Northern United States 576. 1848. (Manual) Name publication detailView in Biodiversity Heritage Library
 

Project Name Data (Last Modified On 7/9/2009)
Acceptance : Accepted
Project Data     (Last Modified On 7/9/2009)
Status: Native

 

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4. Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) A. Gray (sand dropseed)

Pl. 155 d–f; Map 626

S. cryptandrus var. fusicolor (Hook.) R.W. Pohl

Plants perennial, forming tufts. Flowering stems 25–100 cm long. Leaf sheaths with dense tufts of long (2–4 mm) hairs at the tips of the margins, sometimes also hairy along the rest of the margins, otherwise glabrous or roughened, the ligule 0.3–1.0 mm long. Leaf blades 2–26 cm long, 2–6 mm wide, flat or with inrolled margins, glabrous or somewhat roughened. Inflorescences 15–40 cm long, terminal, spikelike to more or less open panicles, mostly enclosed by to mostly free from the subtending leaf sheath, the free portion varying from linear to narrowly elliptic or ovate in outline, the branches appressed or ascending to spreading, with dense spikelets nearly to the base, the lowermost ones alternate. Spikelets 1.5–2.8 mm long, the glumes noticeably unequal in length, the lower glume about 1/2 as long as the upper glume. Lower glume 0.6–1.9 mm long, narrowly lanceolate, sharply pointed at the tip. Upper glume 1.5–2.6 mm long, 3/4 to about as long as the floret, lanceolate to narrowly elliptic‑ovate, sharply pointed at the tip. Lemma 1.4–2.8 mm long, elliptic‑ovate, 1‑nerved, sharply pointed at the tip, glabrous. Paleas slightly shorter than the lemmas. Anthers 0.1–1.1 mm long. Fruits 0.6–1.2 mm long, oblong‑obovate in outline, reddish orange. 2n=18, 36, 38, 72. August–October.

Scattered, mostly in counties adjacent to the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, uncommon elsewhere in southern Missouri (northeastern, central, and western U.S. and adjacent Canada; Mexico). Banks of rivers, margins of lakes, loess hill prairies, sand prairies, openings of dry upland forests, and ledges and tops of bluffs, in sandy soils; also fallow fields, old fields, mine spoils, railroads, roadsides, and sandy, open, disturbed areas.

This species is nearly restricted to sandy habitats, except for a few occurrences on dolomite bluffs. Steyermark (1963) suggested that eventually it would be found in every county bordering the large rivers. Sand dropseed apparently was used as a food by Native Americans, who ground the dried fruits into a flour for baking.

 


 

 
 
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