1. Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn. ssp. indica (goose grass, yard grass)

Pl. 154 h, i; Map 587

Plants annual, forming tufts. Flowering stems 10–40(–70) cm long. Leaf blades 4–20 cm long, 3–8 mm wide. Inflorescences with (2–)3–8 slender spikes, these 3.5–12.0 cm long, 3–5 mm wide, loosely ascending to spreading, straight or slightly arched downward. Spikelets with 2–7 florets. Lower glume 1.5–3.5 mm long, oblong‑lanceolate. Upper glume 2.5–4.5 mm long, narrowly ovate. Lemmas 2.5–4.5 mm long. Fruits dark reddish brown. 2n=18. July–October.

Introduced, scattered nearly throughout the state (widespread weed of tropical and warm‑temperate regions, probably originally native to Africa; introduced nearly throughout the U.S.). Pastures, lawns, gardens, cracks of sidewalks, roadsides, railroads, and open, disturbed areas.

Goose grass is a common weed in urban areas. Steyermark (1963) noted the existence of a rare form in which some of the spikelets were replaced by bulblets that germinate and become leafy while still attached to the axis. Phillips (1972) summarized the cytology and morphology of the species. She treated a robust, African, tetraploid (2n=36) variant with longer lemmas and fruits and more hairy leaf sheath tips as ssp. africana (Kenn.‑O’Byrne) S.M. Phillips.