Sporobolus airoides (Torr.) Torr.   Poaceae (Grass Family)   Native   Hair-grass Dropseed    Alkali Dropseed

                                           May Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Perennial; culms densely cespitose, forming large tussocks, smooth, stout, spreading at base, 3-10 dm. tall; sheaths smooth, sparingly pilose at throat; ligule pilose; blades involute to flat, 1-3 mm. wide, 5-35 cm. long; panicle diffuse, 1-4 dm. long, finally about half the length of the entire plant; spikelets distal on the branches, 1.5-2 mm. long, obtuse; glumes nerved, unequal, acute, glabrous, the 1st. ca. oval, half as long as spikelet, the second as long as spikelet.

Habitat:  Moist alkaline places below 5000 ft.; Alkali Sink, Coastal Sage Scrub, etc.; cismontane and desert s. Calif.; to Wash., S. Dak., Tex., Mex.  April-Oct.

Name:  Greek, spora, seed, and ballein, to throw, alluding to the free seeds.  (Hitchcock 413).  Greek, aire, to grasp, overpower.  Greek, oides, a contraction of Gr. -o+eidos, denoting likeness of form.  (Jaeger 11,172).   Airoides, like grasses of the genus Aira.  Aira grasses are worthless for cattle grazing and may crowd out better plants?  (John Johnson).

General:  Rare in the study area; found only on the lower path between 23rd St. and the Delhi area.  There are several clumps in one location at the edge of the marsh.  (my comments).        Although the herbage is tough, it is taken greedily by livestock, probably because of the large amount of salt in the tissues.  Under a hand lens, minute salt crystals frequently can be seen glistening on the leaf surfaces. (Pohl 138).       Most perennial species are palatable forage grasses, but few of them are abundant enough to be of importance. (Hitchcock 413).      About 100 spp. of warmer regions.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 1001).

Text Ref:  Abrams, Vol. I 145;  Munz, Flora So. Calif. 1001.

Photo Ref:  April-May 92 #36, 36A; May-July 92 #2.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by John Johnson.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 426

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 5/2/03.

                                     May Photo                                                                         May Photo