About Sporobolus vaginiflorus (Torr. ex A.Gray) Alph.Wood
Sporobolus vaginiflorus is an annual bunchgrass that produces one or more stems 70 to 80 cm (28 to 31 inches) long. The wiry stems can be either decumbent or erect, and they are bent near their bases. The stems are sheathed by leaf bases, which are sometimes swollen or inflated, and may have lines or tufts of short hairs. The above-ground herbage of the plant ranges in color from green to purple. Its inflorescence is a dense, narrow, spikelike panicle that is no longer than about 5 cm (2 inches). This panicle may be partially or completely enclosed in the sheath of the uppermost leaf. The plant's spikelets can be purple, pinkish, yellowish, or grayish, and may have a shiny appearance. This bunchgrass is native to eastern and central North America, including the Great Plains, the extreme Southwestern United States, and the Sierra Nevada of California. It is also found in other parts of western and northwestern North America, where it occurs as either a native or introduced species. It grows in many types of habitat, including grasslands, open woodlands, and montane meadows, and is often found in disturbed areas and on sandy and calcareous soils.
