Part 7 - UNC Herbarium

POACEAE 878
Distichlis Rafinesque (Saltgrass)
A genus of about 5 species, of North, Central, and South America, and Australia. References: Barkworth in FNA (2003a).
Identification notes: When sterile, Distichlis spicata is easily confused with Sporobolus virginicus, with which it sometimes
occurs. Distichlis spicata is generally a coarser plant, and lacks long hairs around the collar of the sheath; Sporobolus virginicus
is more delicate, and typically has long hairs on either side of the collar.
Distichlis spicata (Linnaeus) Greene, Saltgrass, Spike Grass. Cp (GA, NC, SC, VA): coastal marshes and shores,
especially common in hypersaline flats (where infrequent tidal inundation is followed by evaporation); common. June-October.
Two varieties (or subspecies or species) have often been recognized: var. spicata ranging along the Atlantic coast from Nova
Scotia and Prince Edward Island south to tropical America, and on the Pacific coast of North America, and var. stricta (Torrey)
Scribner widespread in saline situations in western North America. These do not appear to warrant taxonomic recognition
(Barkworth in FNA 2003a). [= RAB, FNA, GW, K, S; > D. spicata var. spicata – C; > D. spicata – F, G, HC; > D. spicata ssp.
spicata]
Echinochloa Palisot de Beauvois (Barnyard-grass, Jungle-rice)
A genus of 4-5- species of the tropics and warm temperate regions. References: Michael in FNA (2003a). Key based in part on
C.
1 Panicle elongate, the branches few, distant, unbranched, and short, to 2 (-3) cm long; spikelets awnless; leaves 3-6 (-9) mm
wide ......................................................................................................................................................................... E. colonum
1 Panicle broader, the branches numerous, approximate, often further branched, short to long, some (at least) exceeding 2 cm
long; spikelets awnless or awned; leaves 5-30 mm wide.
2 Lower sheaths usually papillate-pubescent; fertile lemma 2.5-4× as long as wide ..............................................E. walteri
2 Lower sheaths glabrous; fertile lemma 1.5-2.5× as long as wide.
3 Inflorescence nodding; awns 4-29 mm long............................................................ E. cruspavonis var. cruspavonis
3 Inflorescence erect, stiff; awns 0-25 mm long.
4 Second glume and sterile lemma hairy or scabrous to nearly glabrous, the hairs usually not papillose-based;
fertile lemma obtuse or broadly acute, with a thin, membranous (later withering) tip set off from the body by
a line of minute hairs.
5 Panicle fairly open, the branches erect, appressed, or spreading; spikelets green or purple-tinged,
awnless or with a well-developed awn (to 25 mm long); leaves 5-15 mm wide; plants mostly 3-7 dm tall
...........................................................................................................................E. crusgalli var. crusgalli
5 Panicle very crowded, the branches appressed to slightly spreading, the tips often incurved; spikelets
purplish-brown, awnless (or with awn to 2 mm long); leaves mostly 15-30 mm wide; plants mostly 7-15
dm tall ................................................................................................................................ E. frumentacea
4 Second glume and sterile lemma usually with stout, papillose-based hairs on the veins; fertile lemma
acuminate, abruptly narrowed to a firm, persistent tip.
6 Spikelets < 3.5 mm long, not including the awn (if present); sterile lemma awnless or with an awn to 6 (-
10) mm long ............................................................................................... E. muricata var. microstachya
6 Spikelets > 3.5 mm long, not including the awn (if present); sterile lemma usually awned (rarely
awnless), the awn 6-25 mm long....................................................................... E. muricata var. muricata
* Echinochloa colonum (Linnaeus) Link, Jungle-rice. Cp, Pd (GA, NC, SC, VA), Mt (GA, SC, NC): fields, ditches,
disturbed wet areas; uncommon, introduced from the Old World tropics. July-October. The debate over the appropriate
grammatical treatment and therefore spelling of the epithet is discussed in detail in Ward (2005b). [= E. colonum – RAB, C, F,
G, GW, HC; = E. colona -- FNA, K, S, orthographic variant]
* Echinochloa crusgalli (Linnaeus) Palisot de Beauvois var. crusgalli, Barnyard-grass. {GA, NC, SC, VA} July-October.
[= C, G; < E. crusgalli – RAB, GW (also see E. muricatum); = E. crus-galli – K, orthographic variant; < E. crusgalli – F, FNA;
< E. crus-galli ssp. crus-galli – S (also see E. muricata)]
Echinochloa cruspavonis (Kunth) J.A. Schultes var. cruspavonis. {AL, MS, FL} July-October. [< E. crus-pavonis – HC;
= E. crus-pavonis var. crus-pavonis – FNA, K, orthographic variant]
* Echinochloa frumentacea Link, Japanese Millet, Billion-dollar Grass, White Panic. Cp (NC), {VA}: disturbed areas; rare,
introduced from Asia. July-October. [= F, FNA, K; < E. crusgalli – RAB, GW; = E. crusgalli (Linnaeus) Palisot de Beauvois
var. frumentacea (Link) W. Wight – C, G; = E. crus-galli ssp. edulis A.S. Hitchcock – S]
Echinochloa muricata (Palisot de Beauvois) Fernald var. microstachya Wiegand, Barnyard-grass. {GA, NC, SC, VA}
July-October. [= C, FNA, K; < E. crusgalli – RAB, GW; = E. pungens (Poiret) Rydberg var. microstachya (Wiegand) Fernald
& Griscom – F; = E. microstachya (Wiegand) Rydberg – G; < E. crus-galli ssp. crus-galli – S]