Eragrostis trichodes (Nutt.) Sand Lovegrass

Habit: Tufted perennial. Culm: Erect, 60-150 cm. tall, tufted, simple, lower internodes very short, uppermost very large. Blade: 15-90 cm. long, 2-6 mm. wide, flat, drawn out into a taper point, rough above. Sheath: Overlapping, smooth, pilose at the throat and sometimes on the upper half. Ligule: A dense ring of short hairs. Inflorescence: Panicle often purplish, usually exserted, diffuse, oblong, usually about half the height of the plant, axis rigid and somewhat scabrous, lower axils sometimes pilose, the scabrous capillary branches erect or ascending, naked below, the flexuous scabrous pedicels 2-several times as long as the spikelets. Spikelets: Usually pale, 4-6-(3-10)-flowered, 3-9 mm. long, numerous. Glumes: Acute, 2-4 mm. long, the second slightly longer, scabrous on the keel and sometimes sparsely so on the body. Lemmas: Acute, the lower 2.5-3 mm. long, somewhat flattened, evidently 3-nerved, scabrous on the keel. Palea: About as long as its lemma, prominently 2-nerved and ciliate on the 2-keels. Anthers: A little over 1 mm. long. Fruit: Grain 1 mm. long, minutely pitted. Habitat: Sandy soil in barrens and open sandy woods. August-October. Kansas Range: Central and northeast sixth. Remarks: When in flower adding a hazy effect to hillsides. Synonyms: Eragrostis pilifera Scheele Eragrostis trichodes (Nutt.) Wood var. pilifera (Scheele) Fern