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- Dichotomous Key
- Poaceae
- Poaceae Group 5
- Bouteloua
- Bouteloua rigidiseta
Bouteloua rigidiseta — Texas grama
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New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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Facts
Texas grama is a small bunchgrass native to Texas, Oklahoma and Mexico, and a dominant species in some short-grass communities of central Texas. It is a rare tourist in New England, having been collected only in Massachusetts.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats)
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Massachusetts
- Leaf blade width
- 1–2 mm
- Inflorescence branches
- the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence
- Spikelet length
- 2.5–4 mm
- Glume relative length
-
- neither glume is quite as long as all of the florets
- one or both glumes are as long or longer than all of the florets
- Awn on glume
- the glume has an awn
- One or more florets
-
- there is more than one floret per spikelet
- there is one floret per spikelet
- Lemma awn length
- 0–2 mm
-
Flowers
- Anther number
- 3
- Awn on glume
- the glume has an awn
- Floret lower bract texture
- the lemma is thin and flexible
- Floret types within spikelet
- there are at least two distinct forms of florets within one spikelet
- Glume relative length
-
- neither glume is quite as long as all of the florets
- one or both glumes are as long or longer than all of the florets
- Glume veins
- 1
- Inflorescence arrangement
- the spikelets are uniform
- Inflorescence axis orientation
- the inflorescence axis is straight
- Inflorescence branches
- the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence
- Inflorescence length
- 30–60 mm
- Inflorescence type (general)
- the spikelets are borne on stalks or on branches
- Inflorescence type (specific)
- the inflorescence is branched and the branches all grow from the same side of the plant and look like spikes
- Lemma awn base
- the awn is attached right at the tip of the lemma
- Lemma awn coiled
- the lemma awn is straight or twisted, but not coiled one half turn
- Lemma awn length
- 0–2 mm
- Lemma awn number
-
- the lemma has more than one awn on it
- the lemma has no awn
- Lemma cross-section
- the lemma is V-shaped 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
- Lower glume length
- 3–4 mm
- One or more florets
-
- there is more than one floret per spikelet
- there is one floret per spikelet
- Palea relative length
- palea is one half to fully as long as lemma
- Spikelet axis tip
- there is no extension of the spikelet axis beyond the tip of the spikelet
- Spikelet length
- 2.5–4 mm
- Spikelets spiny
- the spikelets do not appear spiny
- Tip of glume
-
- the tip of the glume is divided into two or more points
- the tip of the glume is not divided (though it may have an awn on it)
-
Growth form
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
-
Leaves
- Leaf auricles
- the leaves do not have auricles
- Leaf blade width
- 1–2 mm
- Leaf ligule type
- the leaf ligule is in the form of a membrane with fine hairs
- Leaf sheath closed around stem
- the margins of the leaf sheath are overlapping and not fused together except in the basal half (or less)
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Massachusetts
- Specific habitat
- man-made or disturbed habitats
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Stem spacing
- the stems grow close together in compact clusters or tufts
Wetland status
Not classified
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- not applicable (S-rank: SNA)
Native to North America?
Yes and no (some introduced)
Sometimes confused with
- Bouteloua curtipendula:
- inflorescence with mostly 30-80 branches and central awn of lowest lemma not flanked by lateral lobes, therefore the lemma with a total of 3 apical lobes (vs. B. rigidiseta, with the inflorescence with mostly 6-12 branches and central awn of lowest lemma of spikelet arising from between two membranous lobes, therefore the lemma with a total of 5 apical lobes).
- Bouteloua repens:
- apex of the panicle branch axis entire and the upper glume acute at the apex, unawned or with a short awn-tip (vs. B. rigidiseta, with the apex of panicle branch axis prominently bifid or trifid and upper glume bilobed, the awn emerging from the sinus)
Family
Genus
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
4. Bouteloua rigidiseta (Steud.) A.S. Hitchc. E
Texas grama. MA. Waste areas, disturbed ground.