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Poaceae, Chloridoideae, Cynodonteae - Miscellaneous
(Family, Subfamily, Tribe)
tribe Cynodonteae
Curly Mesquite (Creeping Mesquite) Hilaria belangeri var. belangeri
Looks like a Buffalograss with erect tuft of spikelets. Drought resistant. Fair forage for livestock but poor for wildlife.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, September 2007
(Native of Texas - Taylor)
Base: perennial, small clumps, wide spreading rhizomes, short stolons (runner stem)
Blade (leaf): short, rough with a few hairs, mostly flat
Culm (main grain stem): erect, 10-30cm tall, nodes are very hairy, irregular ligule
Inflorescence: 2-3.5cm tall, 4-8 spikelet clusters 4.5-6mm tall
Lateral Spikelets: female, pale
Outer Glume: united below, shorter than lemma, slightly broad above, notched or lobed, midnerve extends past glume
Inner Glume: shorter and narrower, midnerve becomes tiny awn
Central Spikelets: male, pale
Glume: about equal length, slightly broad above, awn 2.5-5mm long
Other Species In My Area
Tobosa (Tobosagrass) Pleuraphis mutica (Hilaria mutica)
Looks like a tall Curly Mesquite
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Jones, Nolan)
Base: perennial, small clumps, short branching rhizomes, no stolons (runner stem)
Blade (leaf): short, 2-4mm wide, rough with a few hairs, often rolled inward
Culm (main grain stem): erect, wiry, 30-75cm tall, nodes can be glabrous or hairy, ligule is a tiny fringed membrane
Inflorescence: 4-8cm tall, 8-25 closely spaced spikelet clusters, 3 spikelets in a cluster with a hairy base
Lateral Spikelets: female
Outer Glume: wider top is truncated, hairy margins
Inner Glume: has a lateral awn up to 3mm long
Central Spikelets: male
Glume: narrow, short, irregular lobed top, nerves becomes tiny awn
Lemma and Palea: 5-6mm long form a tube, dark stigmas
Tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
Oversized spike, branches wide spaced & alternating, appressed spikelets, Wavy basal leaves with white margins, 8"-15" tall. Poor forage.
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Nolan, Jones, Shackelford, Callahan, Runnels, Coleman, Brown)
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