Smutgrass

Common Name:

smutgrass

Scientific Name:

Sporobolus indicus

Family:

Poaceae

Lifecycle:

Perennial

Features

Growth habit: Upright growth habit, 1.5 to 3 feet tall. Plant can tolerate low, infrequent mowing; Stem: Rounded and glabrous. Leaf: Thin, glabrous with a white midrib. Five to eight inches long. Leaves usually rolled or folded.; Collar: A minuscule fringe of hairs; Inflorescence: A thin spike up to 3 feet tall, often contaminated with a black smut fungus.

Description

Common pasture and unimproved turfgrass weed in droughty and/or sandy soils. Leaves usually rolled or folded presumably due to droughty conditions.