1. Sphenopholis nitida (Biehler) Scribn. (shining wedgegrass)

Pl. 136 c, d; Map 550

Plants annual or perennial, forming tufts. Flowering stems 30–80 cm long. Leaf sheaths hairy or the uppermost glabrous or roughened, the ligule 1–2 mm long. Leaf blades 2–15 cm long, 2–6 mm wide, hairy or the uppermost ones sometimes only roughened. Inflorescences 6–20 cm long, relatively narrow but open, arched to somewhat drooping, the branches ascending or spreading. Spikelets 2.5–4.0 mm long. Lower glume 1.5–3.5 mm long, 0.2–0.5 mm wide in side view, 1/3–2/3 as wide as the other glume, narrowly oblong‑lanceolate, 1(3)‑nerved. Upper glume 1.7–3.5 mm long, obovate, rounded to bluntly pointed at the tip. Lemmas 1.8–3.5 mm long (shorter in the uppermost floret of 3‑flowered spikelets), narrowly oblong‑elliptic, bluntly to sharply pointed at the tip, the lowermost lemma smooth or somewhat roughened, awnless, the uppermost lemma (or middle lemma in 3‑flowered spikelets) strongly roughened, awnless or rarely with an awn less than 0.5 mm long, this usually bent or twisted. Anthers 1.2–2.0 mm long. Fruits 1.4–2.0 mm long. 2n=14. April–July.

Scattered, mostly in the southern half of the state (eastern U.S. west to Michigan, Missouri, and Texas). Mesic to dry upland forests and bases of bluffs; also shaded roadsides.

Superficially this species strongly resembles S. obtusata, which is far more widespread and common in Missouri.