| Eragrostis spectabilis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Plant at time of blooming | |
 | |
| Plant in late fall | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Genus: | Eragrostis |
| Species: | E. spectabilis |
| Binomial name | |
| Eragrostis spectabilis (Pursh) Steud. | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
List
| |
Eragrostis spectabilis, known as purple lovegrass, [2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Poaceae, native from southern Canada to northeastern Mexico. It was first described by Frederick Traugott Pursh in 1813 as Poa spectabilis, and transferred to Eragrostis by Ernst von Steudel in 1840. [3]
It is readily eaten by browsing and grazing animals. [2]
Eragrostis spectabilis is an upright, tufted grass that grows from 30 to 70 cm tall. [4] Its common name, purple love grass, comes from its inflorescence towards the top of the stem. They bloom in late summer to early fall, turn purple, and contain the seeds. As the plant continues to mature, the inflorescence will often break off, and its movement will disperse the seeds. These seeds are reddish-brown and tend to be 0.6-0.8 mm long. [4] During the fall after seed dispersal, the plant's stem and branches turn soft brown or tan in color. [5] The inflorescence of Eragrostis spectabilis exhibits a whorled branching structure, with three branches coming off the rachis at a time. [6]
Eragrostis spectabilis is a native to eastern and central North America from Maine to as far west as South Dakota, and south to Florida and Arizona and even down into Mexico. [7] In addition to its native distribution in North America, purple love grass is widely grown in China as an ornamental plant non-natively. [8]
Eragrostis spectabilis is a perennial and goes dormant over the winter. [5] It is a C4 grass and prefers sandy soil and disturbed areas such as sandy or gravelly roadsides, plains, and woodlands. [6] Eragrostis spectabilis is also very drought-, salt- and cold-resistant, making it an excellent choice to introduce to roadsides, especially in colder areas with seasonal snowfall; once established, this plant needs little to no additional attention. [9] It prefers full sun, but will tolerate part shade and likes damp to wet soil. It spreads through rhizomes, [5] as well as through seed dispersal both by birds and by the movement of the panicle by the wind; [4] seeds use physiological dormancy [5] and are ready to germinate after a dormancy period of about ten weeks. [8]
Eragrostis spectabilis is often used in attempts to reintroduce native species in disturbed areas, particularly in plains and hot, sandy areas, [5] as it spreads readily via seeds and has a high dormancy rate(60%) [8] that only increases after its dormancy period; the only problem is that it is not widely available for commercial use and can thus get expensive. [8] Additionally, it is used as an erosion control plant, as its fibrous roots hold soil in place. [8] It can also be used as a lawn alternative in areas with low foot traffic, as it only needs to be mowed a few times per growing season. [7] The dried inflorescences are often used in dried flower arrangements. [5]
Eragrostis spectabilis also attracts several species of birds and butterflies, as well as other pollinators. [10] The seeds are used as a food source for small mammals, such as mice and songbirds, and tend to be high in nutrients. [8] It is also used as a grazing plant both for livestock and wild animals such as deer, and deer also will dig up the basal part of the stem to use as a food source during winter. [8] The plant itself is also often used as both nesting material and cover for smaller animals. [9]
Eragrostis is a large and widespread genus of plants in the grass family, found in many countries on all inhabited continents and many islands.
Holcus lanatus is a perennial flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae. The specific epithet lanatus is Latin for 'woolly' which describes the plant's hairy texture. Common names include Yorkshire fog, tufted grass, and meadow soft grass. In North America, where it is an invasive species, names include velvet grass and common velvet grass.
A tumbleweed is a structural part of the above-ground anatomy of a number of species of plants. It is a diaspore that, once mature and dry, detaches from its root or stem and rolls due to the force of the wind. In most such species, the tumbleweed is in effect the entire plant apart from the root system, but in other plants, a hollow fruit or inflorescence might detach instead. Xerophyte tumbleweed species occur most commonly in steppe and arid ecosystems, where frequent wind and the open environment permit rolling without prohibitive obstruction.
Lolium perenne, common name perennial ryegrass, English ryegrass, winter ryegrass, or ray grass, is a grass from the family Poaceae. It is native to Europe, Asia and northern Africa, but is widely cultivated and naturalised around the world.
Themeda triandra is a species of C4 perennial tussock-forming grass widespread in Africa, Australia, Asia and the Pacific. In Australia it is commonly known as kangaroo grass and in East Africa and South Africa it is known as red grass and red oat grass or as rooigras in Afrikaans. Kangaroo grass was formerly thought to be one of two species, and was named Themeda australis.
Hordeum jubatum, with common names foxtail barley, bobtail barley, squirreltail barley, and intermediate barley, is a perennial plant species in the grass family Poaceae. It occurs wild mainly in northern North America and adjacent northeastern Siberia. However, as it escaped often from gardens it can be found worldwide in areas with temperate to warm climates, and is considered a weed in many countries. The species is a polyploid and originated via hybridization of an East Asian Hordeum species with a close but extinct relative of Californian H. brachyantherum. It is grown as an ornamental plant for its attractive inflorescences and when done flowering for its inflorescence.
Acaena novae-zelandiae, commonly known as red bidibid, bidgee widgee, buzzy and piri-piri bur, is a small herbaceous, prostrate perennial, native to New Zealand, Australia and New Guinea, of the family Rosaceae.
Eragrostis cilianensis is a species of grass known by several common names, including stinkgrass, candy grass, and gray lovegrass.
Eragrostis pectinacea is a species of grass known by the common name tufted lovegrass. This plant is native to the Americas from Canada to Argentina. It is widespread, growing in most open spaces at varying elevations and habitats, including in disturbed areas and roadsides.
Galeopsis bifida is an annual plant native to Europe and Asia but now found in Canada and the northeastern, midwestern parts of the United States. It has many common names such as bifid hemp-nettle, split-lip hemp-nettle, common hemp-nettle, and large-flowered hemp-nettle. The genus name means weasel-like, referring to the corolla of the flower. It is often confused with other species of Lamiaceae such as Mentha arvensis, Dracocephalum parviflorum and Stachys pilosa.
Digitaria californica is a species of grass known by the common name Arizona cottontop. It is native to the Americas, where it can be found in the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America.
Elymus lanceolatus is a species of grass known by the common names thickspike wheatgrass and streamside wheatgrass. It is native to North America, where it is widespread and abundant in much of Canada and the western and central United States. There are two subspecies, subsp. lanceolatus occurring throughout the species' range and subsp. psammophilus occurring in the Great Lakes region.
Eragrostis curvula is a species of grass known by the common name weeping lovegrass. Other common names include Boer lovegrass, curved lovegrass, Catalina lovegrass, and African lovegrass.
Eragrostis intermedia is a species of grass known by the common name plains lovegrass. It is native to North and Central America, where it is distributed from the southeastern and southwestern United States south to Costa Rica. Its range may extend to South America.
Eragrostis lehmanniana is a species of grass known by the common name Lehmann lovegrass. It is native to southern Africa. It is present elsewhere as an introduced species. It is well known as an invasive weed in some areas, such as Arizona in the United States.
Panicum anceps is a species of grass known by the common name beaked panicgrass. It is native to the southeastern United States, where it occurs as far north as New Jersey and as far west as Kansas and Texas.
Eragrostis pilosa is a species of grass in the family Poaceae. It is native to Eurasia and Africa. It may or may not be native to North America. It is widely introduced, and it is a common weed in many areas.
Eragrostis setifolia, commonly known as neverfail grass, is a species of perennial grass in the family Poaceae native to Australia, where it is widespread and common throughout the range lands and is commonly utilized as a pasture grass. According to IUCN classification it is listed as a least concern species throughout most of its range with the exception of Victoria where it is classified as vulnerable. It is capable of C4 photosynthesis.
Eragrostis minor, the little lovegrass or smaller stinkgrass, is a widespread species of flowering plant in the family Poaceae, native to most of the subtropical and warm temperate Old World, and introduced to North America, South America, and Australia. Preferring disturbed open places with little competition, and sandy or gravelly soils, it is often found growing on rail embankments, road verges, cracks in sidewalks, and waste areas. Its seeds are edible, but quite small and difficult to harvest and handle, so it is usually regarded as a famine food.
Eragrostis secundiflora, red lovegrass, is a species of flowering plant in the family Poaceae, native to the central and southern United States, Mexico, and northern South America. A perennial reaching at most 70 cm (28 in), it is found in prairies and open woodlands, typically in sandy soils. Its seeds are considerably larger than other species of Eragrostis.