Sorghastrum nutans — Indian grass

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Anther length

  2–5 mm

  Anther number

  3

  Awn on glume

  the glume has no awn

  Glume relative length

  both glumes are as long or longer than all of the florets

  Glume shape

  the glume is flat or curved in cross-section

  Glume veins

  • 5
  • 7 or more

  Inflorescence arrangement

  • the plant has two types of spikelets with different reproductive structures
  • the spikelets are uniform

  Inflorescence axis orientation

  • the inflorescence axis is arched or curved outward
  • the inflorescence axis is straight

  Inflorescence branches

  the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence

  Inflorescence length

  200–750 mm

  Inflorescence type (general)

  the spikelets are borne on stalks or on branches

  Inflorescence type (specific)

  the inflorescence has pairs (or trios) of spikelets, but with one always either missing a stalk or on a shorter stalk than the other

  Lemma awn base

  the awn is attached right at the tip of the lemma

  Lemma awn length

  10–30 mm

  Lemma awn number

  the lemma has one awn on it

  Lemma cross-section

  the lemma is flat or rounded if you cut across the midpoint

  Lemma surface

  the surface of the lemma is relatively smooth (not counting any longitudinal veins or hairs)

  Lemma tip

  the lemma tip is split into two or more points

  Lemma vein number

  1

  One or more florets

  there is one floret per spikelet

  Spikelet axis tip

  there is no extension of the spikelet axis beyond the tip of the spikelet

  Spikelet disintegration

  the spikelet breaks off below the glumes

  Spikelet length

  5–8.7 mm

  Spikelets spiny

  the spikelets do not appear spiny

• Leaves

  Leaf blade width

  1–4 mm

  Leaf ligule length

  2–6 mm

  Leaf ligule type

  the leaf ligule is in the form of a membrane

  Leaf sheath closed around stem

  the margins of the leaf sheath are overlapping and not fused together except in the basal half (or less)

  Leaf sheath hairs

  • there are hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
  • there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath

• Place

  Habitat

  • terrestrial
  • wetlands

  New England state

  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont

  Specific habitat

  • edges of wetlands
  • grasslands
  • man-made or disturbed habitats
  • meadows or fields
  • shores of rivers or lakes
  • woodlands

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Stem orientation

  the stems are upright

  Stem spacing

  • the stems grow close together in compact clusters or tufts
  • the stems grow singly or a few together (they may form diffuse colonies)

Wetland status

Occurs only in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: UPL)

In New England

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key