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Crypsis schoenoides — swamp pricklegrass

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Facts

Swamp pricklegrass is an exotic of Eurasian origin that has been introduced in southwestern and parts of northeastern North America. In New England it is known from disturbed sites in Massachusetts and Vermont.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats)

New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Characteristics

Habitat
terrestrial
New England state
  • Massachusetts
  • Vermont
Leaf blade width
2–6 mm
Inflorescence branches
  • the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence
  • there are no branch points between the base of the inflorescence axis and the flowers, or they are not obvious
Spikelet length
2.7–3.2 mm
Glume relative length
neither glume is quite as long as all of the florets
Awn on glume
the glume has no awn
One or more florets
there is one floret per spikelet
Lemma awn length
0 mm
Leaf ligule length
0.5–1 mm
Anther length
7–1.1 mm
Show all characteristics
  • Flowers

    Anther length
    7–1.1 mm
    Anther number
    2–3
    Awn on glume
    the glume has no awn
    Floret lower bract texture
    the lemma is thin and flexible
    Glume relative length
    neither glume is quite as long as all of the florets
    Glume veins
    • 0
    • 1
    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
    • there are no branch points between the base of the inflorescence axis and the flowers, or they are not obvious
    Inflorescence length
    3–75 mm
    Inflorescence type (general)
    • the inflorescence is a spike, or is spike-like, lacking obvious branches
    • the spikelets are borne on stalks or on branches
    Inflorescence type (specific)
    the inflorescence is branched, and the branches do NOT both grow from the same side of the plant AND look like spikes
    Inforescence position
    the spikelets are mainly carried at the end of the stem
    Lemma awn base
    NA
    Lemma awn length
    0 mm
    Lemma awn number
    the lemma has no awn
    Lemma cross-section
    the lemma is V-shaped if you cut across the midpoint
    Lemma hairs
    the lemma is hairless between the veins
    Lemma keel hairs
    the keel of the lemma is rough, or has fine hairs
    Lemma surface
    the surface of the lemma is relatively smooth (not counting any longitudinal veins or hairs)
    Lemma tip
    the lemma tip is a simple point, with or without an awn (long narrow extension ending in a point)
    Lemma vein number
    1
    One or more florets
    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
    2.7–3.2 mm
    Spikelets spiny
    the spikelets do not appear spiny
  • Leaves

    Leaf auricles
    the leaves do not have auricles
    Leaf blade width
    2–6 mm
    Leaf ligule length
    0.5–1 mm
    Leaf ligule type
    the leaf ligule is in the form of 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)
    Leaf sheath hairs
    there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
  • Place

    Habitat
    terrestrial
    New England state
    • Massachusetts
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    man-made or disturbed habitats

Wetland status

Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)

In New England

Distribution

Connecticut
absent
Maine
absent
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
absent
Rhode Island
absent
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Massachusetts
not applicable (S-rank: SNA)

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

1.  Crypsis schoenoides (L.) Lam. E

swamp pricklegrass. Heleochloa schoenoides (L.) Host ex Roemer • MA, VT. Disturbed soil, waste places.

Native to North America?

No

Sometimes confused with

Alopecuris aequalis:
inflorescence exceeding the upper leaves, not enclosed in the upper leaf sheaths (vs. C. schoenoides, with the inflorescence usually exceeded by the upper leaves, partly enclosed in the upper leaf sheaths).

Synonyms

  • Heleochloa schoenoides (L.) Host ex Roemer

Family

Poaceae

Genus

Crypsis