Author

Jessica Bertel

Caryopses

Laterally compressed, ca. 2 mm, usually not developed.

Culms

30–140 cm tall, 1–1.5 mm thick, branched, sometimes rooting at the nodes, more or less glabrous, pubescent near and at the nodes.

Electronic links

Grass Manual on the Web: http://herbarium.usu.edu/webmanual/

Plants Database: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=LEHE

World Grass Species – Descriptions:

 http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/data/grasses-db/www/imp05897.htm

Ecology

Grows in tropical to warm-temperate regions in wet areas, mostly in fresh water along streams and ponds, where it sometimes forms floating mats. 

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Family

Poaceae (Gramineae) grass family

Geographic distribution

Southeastern United States southward from Virginia to Texas, also California and Puerto Rico.

Inflorescences

Terninal panicles; 5-15 cm tall, exserted at maturity, with 1 or 2 branches per node. 

Leaves

Leaves evenly distributed along the culm.  Sheaths glabrous or coarsely scabrous, margins often ciliate; blades 5-25 cm long, 3-15mm wide, ascending, glabrous or pubescent. 

Recognition factors

Rhizomatous perennials, colonial; nodes and other parts pubescent with sharp, downward pointing hairs; membranous ligules; leaf sheath closely surrounding emerging inflorescence; glumes absent; 6 stamens.

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References

Allen, C. M., D. A. Newman, and H. Winters. 2004. Grasses of Louisianna, 3rd edition. Allen's Native Ventures, LLC., Pitkin, LA.

Clayton, W.D., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2002 onwards). World Grass Species: Descriptions, Identification, and Information Retrieval. http://www.kew.org/data/grasses–db.html. [accessed 04 December 2006; 15:30 GMT].

Godfrey, R. K. and J. W. Wooten. 1979. Aquatic and Wetland Plants ofSoutheastern United States, Monocotyledons. University of Georgia Press, Athens.

Pyrah, G. L. 2003. Leersia Sw. in Flora of North America North of Mexico. Barkworth, M. E., K. M. Capels, S. Long, and M. B. Piep, editors. Vol. 25, part 2. Oxford University Press, New York and Oxford. Also: Grass Manual on the Web: http://herbarium.usu.edu/webmanual/.

USDA, NRCS. 2006. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 4 December 2006). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

Rhizomes; stolons

Rhizomes short, scaly; scales giving rhizomes a “braided” appearance.

Spikelets

Spikelets3.2-4.7 mm long, 0.5-2 mm wide, ovate to elliptic with 1 floret

Glumes absent

Lemmas ciliate on keels and margins, short hispid or glabrous elsewhere; apices acute to acuminate;

Paleas ciliate on the keels; anthers 6, 2-3.2mm. 

Florets bisexual, florets laterally compressed, linear to suborbicular in sideview;  anthers 6, 2–3.2 mm.