Contains 29 accepted taxa overall.
Characteristics
Classification
Citation
ERAGROSTIS Wolf, Gen. Pl. 23. 1776; Gen. Sp. 63, 65. 1781.
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TYPE: Eragrostis minor Host (Poa eragrostis Linnaeus) Lectotypified by Palisot de Beauvois, Ess. Agrostogr. 74. 1812; Ross, Acta Bot. Neerl. 15: 157. 1966.
Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Herbarium Specimens | Status | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eragrostis atrovirens | THALIA LOVEGRASS | Not Native FAC (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis bahiensis | BAHIA LOVEGRASS | Not Native FAC (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis barrelieri | MEDITERRANEAN LOVEGRASS | Not Native FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis cilianensis | STINKGRASS | Not Native FACU (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis ciliaris | GOPHERTAIL LOVEGRASS | Not Native FACU (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis cumingii | FORTYFLOWER LOVEGRASS; CUMING'S LOVEGRASS | Not Native FACU (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis curvula | WEEPING LOVEGRASS | Not Native FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis elliottii | ELLIOTT'S LOVEGRASS | Native FACW (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis elongata | LONG LOVEGRASS | Not Native FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis gangetica | SLIMFLOWER LOVEGRASS | Not Native FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis hirsuta | BIGTOP LOVEGRASS | Native FACU (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis hypnoides | TEAL LOVEGRASS | Native OBL (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis intermedia | PLAINS LOVEGRASS | Not Native FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis japonica | POND LOVEGRASS | Not Native FAC (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis lugens | MOURNING LOVEGRASS | Not Native FAC (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis mexicana subsp. virescens | MEXICAN LOVEGRASS | Not Native FACU (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis minor | LITTLE LOVEGRASS | Not Native FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis pectinacea var. miserrima | DESERT LOVEGRASS | Native FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis pectinacea var. pectinacea | TUFTED LOVEGRASS; CAROLINA LOVEGRASS | Native FAC (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis pectinacea var. tracyi | SANIBEL ISLAND LOVEGRASS | Native Rare-State FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis pilosa | INDIAN LOVEGRASS | Not Native FACU (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis polytricha | HAIRYSHEATH LOVEGRASS | Native FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis prolifera | DOMINICAN LOVEGRASS | Not Native FAC (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis refracta | COASTAL LOVEGRASS | Native FACW (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis scaligera | TENDER LOVEGRASS | Not Native FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis secundiflora subsp. oxylepis | RED LOVEGRASS | Native UPL (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis spectabilis | PURPLE LOVEGRASS | Native FACU (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis tenella | FEATHER LOVEGRASS | Not Native FAC (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Eragrostis unioloides | CHINESE LOVEGRASS | Not Native FAC (NWPL) FAC (DEP) |
Identification Key
1. Palea keel conspicuously ciliate, cilia 0.2-0.8 mm long and subequal to longer than the lemma width (lemma eglandular)
1. Palea keel scabrous or with cilia <0.3 mm long, much shorter than the lemma width (if cilia to 0.3 mm long, then lemma glandular)
2
2. Culms, leaves, lemmas, inflorescence rachis, or pedicels with glands
2. Culms, leaves, lemmas, inflorescence rachis, or pedicels eglandular
3
3. Annual, culm bases weak
3. Perennials, culm base tough
4
4. Inflorescence very diffuse, to 45 cm wide, the spikelets distant from each other along the branches (pedicels and internodes between pedicels to 4.5 cm long), the branches spreading to spreading-ascending
4. Inflorescence relatively compact, to 15(30) cm wide, the spikelets overlapping along the branches (pedicels and internodes between pedicels mostly <1.5 cm long), the branches spreading to appressed
1. (Key A) Pedicels 1-4(7) mm long, straight to curved, subequal to longer than the spikelets; lemma margin cilia 0.3-0.5 mm long; anthers 3
1. Pedicels 0.1-1 mm long, straight, mostly shorter than the spikelets; anthers 2
2
2. Inflorescence 0.2-1.5 cm wide, branches mostly appressed; spikelets densely congested
2. Panicles 1.5-5 cm wide, branches spreading to ascending; spikelets relatively distant
1. (Key B) Pedicels 1-10 mm long, lax, appressed or divergent; spikelets 0.6-1.4 mm wide
1. Pedicels 0.2-4 mm long, stiff, straight, usually divergent; spikelets 1.1-4 mm wide
2
2. Spikelets 6-20 mm long, 2-4 mm wide, with 10-40 florets; lemmas 2-2.8 mm long, with 1-3 crateriform glands along the keels; disarticulation below the florets, the rachillas persistent; anthers yellow
2. Spikelets 4-7(11) mm long, 1.1-2.2 mm wide, with 7-12(20) florets; lemmas 1.4-1.8 mm long, rarely with 1 or 2 crateriform glands along the keels; disarticulation below the lemmas, both the paleas and rachillas usually persistent; anthers reddish-brown
3
3. Leaf blades and pedicels eglandular, below the inflorescence nodes with gland areas even with the rachis, lacking a bulbous margin, often lustrous; anthers 3
3. Leaf blade margins and inflorescence rachis sometimes and pedicels usually glandular, with a bulbous margin, dull; anthers 2
1. (Key C) Repent stem stoloniferous, erect fertile stems usually <12 cm long
1. Stems erect, usually >10 cm long
2
2. Ligules membranous, without cilia; inflorescence elongate with numerous overlapping appressed to ascending primary branches
2. Ligules membranous and with cilia, these often longer than the ligule blade; inflorescence primary branches mostly ascending to spreading, not densely overlapping
3
3. Caryopses shallowly to deeply grooved on the adaxial surface
3. Caryopses without a ventral groove, usually globose
4
4. Spikelets ovoid, (1.6)2-4 mm wide; florets disarticulating intact from the persistent rachillas
4. Spikelets generally oblong, 0.6-2.5 mm wide; lemmas disarticulating separately from the paleas, sometimes both the paleas and the rachillas persistent
5
5. Lemmas 1.6-3 mm long; caryopses 0.7-1.3 mm long, obovoid, smooth, light brown to white
5. Lemmas 1-2.2 mm long; caryopses 0.3-1.1 mm long, subglobose, pyriform, or obovoid to prism-shaped, smooth or faintly striate, brownish
6
6. Lemma lateral veins often greenish and apparent; caryopses 0.3-0.6 mm long, ovoid, subglobose to obovoid
7
6. Lemma lateral veins usually obscure, pale; caryopses 0.5-1.1 mm long, pyriform or obovoid to prism-shaped
8
7. Inflorescence primary branches 6-10 per culm; spikelets 5-12(18) mm long, with 12-42 florets; lemmas 1.3-2 mm long; anthers 3
7. Inflorescence primary branches (12)15-20 per culm; spikelets 2-4.6 mm long, with 5-15 florets; lemmas 1-1.3 mm long; anthers 2
8. Proximal nodes of inflorescence with whorl of (2)3-6 branches; spikelets 0.6-1.4 mm wide; lower glumes 0.3-0.6(0.8) mm long, usually <1/2 as long as the lowest lemmas; lemmas with inconspicuous lateral veins
8. Proximal nodes of inflroescence with 1-2 branches; spikelets 1.2-2.5 mm wide; lower glumes 0.5-1.5 mm long, at least 1/2 as long as the lowest lemmas; lemmas with evident lateral veins
9
9. Spikelets mostly uniformly pinkish tp purplish red; anthers 0.5-0.7 mm long
9. Spikelest mostly pale to dark olive, greenish, sometimes partly reddish; anthers 0.2-0.4 mm long
10
10. Pedicels along branches spreading to spreading-ascending (at least some)
10. Pedicels along branches appressed to ascending-appressed
1. (Key D) Spikelets mostly pale gray to dark gray, margins or some spots sometimes stramineous
2
1. Spikelets mostly pale greenish, stramineous, to pink, red, or purplish
4
2. Leaf blades glabrate, hairy around the collar and ligule, otherwise hairs few to none along blade surface and margins; spikelets 0.5-1(1.3) mm wide; flowering Jun-Nov
2. Leaves pilose, especially the blade surface; spikelets 1-1.8 mm wide; flowering Mar-May
3
3. Leaf sheaths glabrous or with few hairs along the margins; spikelets 3-7 mm long; lemmas 1.6-2.2 mm long; anthers 0.5-0.8 mm long
3. Leaf sheaths pilose; spikelets (2.5)3-5 mm long; lemmas 1.2-1.8 mm long; anthers 0.3-0.5 mm long
4. Leaf sheaths densely pilose; spikelets 2-7.5 mm long, florets 2-10(12); anthers 3
5
4. Leaf sheaths glabrate; spikelets 4-18(23) mm long, florets 4-22(30); anthers 2
6
5. Cespitose; proximal inflorescence nodes glabrate; florets 2-4(6); upper glume 1.5-2.8 mm long
5. Rhizomatous; proximal inflorescence nodes moderately to densely pilose; florets (3)6-10(12); upper glume 1-2(2.3) mm long
6. Pedicels ascending to spreading, occasionally some appressed, longer than the spikelets; disarticulation below the lemmas, the paleas persistent
6. Pedicels appressed, shorter than the spikelets (except the terminal spikelet); disarticulation usually in the rachilla beneath the florets
1. (Key E) Spikelets 2.4-5 mm wide; glumes 1.7-4 mm long; lemmas 2-6 mm long
1. Spikelets 1-2.4 mm wide; glumes 1-2.2 mm long; lemmas 1.1-2.5 mm long
2
2. Inflorescence 20-50(60) cm long; spikelets 0.7-1.4 mm wide; anthers 2, 0.2-0.3 mm long; caryopses flattened ventrally
2. Inflorescence 8-40(45) cm long; spikelets 1.2-2.4 mm wide; anthers 2-3, 0.2-0.9 mm long; caryopses subglobose, terete, grooved, or dorsally compressed
3
3. Anthers 3, 0.7-1.2 mm long; florets completely disarticulating
4
3. Anthers 2, 0.2-0.7 mm long; paleas often persistent after disarticulation of the glumes and lemmas
5
4. Culm nodes mostly dark red to dark purplish black; spikelets with 10-22 florets; caryopses terete to laterally compressed, opaque, uniformly reddish brown
4. Culm nodes pale stramineous to pale purplish; spikelets with 3-12(14) florets; caryopses dorsally compressed, translucent, greenish over the embryo; caryopses dorsally compressed, adaxial surfaces with a shallow, broad groove or ungrooved, smooth, mostly translucent, light brown, bases often greenish
5. Inflorescence 1-3.5 cm wide, contracted, condensed into glomerate lobes; primary branches 0.8-3 cm long
5. Inflorescence (1)2-17 cm wide, open to contracted; primary branches 1-15 cm long
6
6. Culm nodes mostly dark red to dark purplish black; leaf blades (8)12-40 cm long, 2-5 mm wide; inflorescences all exserted, 15-45 cm long; caryopses 0.6-0.8 mm long, striate, obovoid to ellipsoid
6. Culm nodes pale stramineous to pale purplish; leaf blades 4-8(18) cm long, 1-2 mm wide; inflorescence 5-15 cm long, often some inflorescences partially to completely enclosed by the subtending sheaths; caryopses 0.5-0.6 mm long, smooth, globose
Genus Synonyms
| Synonym | Full Citation | Basionym | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diandrochloa | Diandrochloa De Winter, Bothalia 7: 387. 1960. | TYPE: Diandrochloa namaquensis (C. Nees von Esenbeck) de Winter (Eragrostis namaquensis C. Nees von Esenbeck) | |
| Erochloe | Erochloe Rafinesque, Neogenyton 4. 1825. | TYPE: Non designatus. | |
| Erosion | Erosion Lunell, Amer. Midl. Naturalist 4: 221. 1915. | TYPE: = Eragrostis Wolf 1776. | |
| Harpachne | Harpachne Hochstetter ex A. Richard, Tent. Fl. Abyss. 2: 431. 1850. | TYPE: Harpachne schimperi Hochstetter ex A. Richard | |
| Macroblepharus | Macroblepharus Philippi, Linnaea 29: 100. 1858. | TYPE: Macroblepharus contractus Philippi | |
| Neeragrostis | Neeragrostis Bush, Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis 13: 178. 1903. | TYPE: Neeragrostis weigeltiana Bush, nom. illegit. (Poa reptans Michaux) |