Nassella leucotricha
Nassella neesiana
Texan nassella, Texan needlegrass, Texas tussockgrass, Texas wintergrass
Uruguayan needlegrass, Uruguayan tussockgrass
33-120 cm tall, 1-1.2 mm thick, erect, internodes glabrous;
nodes 3-5, usually pubescent.
30-140 cm tall, 1-1.8 mm thick, erect or geniculate, internodes glabrous;
nodes usually 2-4, exposed, sericeous, hairs to 1.2 mm.
often conspicuously hairy, sometimes glabrous, basal leaf sheaths often with cleistogenes;
collars glabrous, often brown or purple-tinged, with tufts of hair at the sides, hairs 0.5-1 mm;
Iigules 0.2-1.2 mm, glabrous, truncate, sometimes longest at the sides;
blades 10-35 cm long, 1-3.6 mm wide, flat to convolute, abaxial surfaces sparsely coarsely hairy, adaxial surfaces glabrous.
glabrous or slightly hispid, basal leaf sheaths often with cleistogenes;
collars glabrous, often brown or purple-tinged, with tufts of hair at the sides, hairs 0.5-1.2 mm;
Iigules 1-4 mm, glabrous or pubescent, truncate;
blades to 30 cm long, 2-8 mm wide, flat to convolute, sometimes scabrous, sometimes with hairs.
subequal, 10-21 mm long, 0.7-3.2 mm wide, narrowly lanceolate, glabrous, 3-5-veined;
florets 6.5-13 mm long, 1.1-1.4 mm wide, terete, widest near or slightly above midlength;
calluses 1-5.5 mm, sharp, strigose;
lemmas straw-colored to light brown, papillose distally, constricted below the crown, veins pubescent proximally, particularly the midveins, glabrous between the veins;
crowns 0.75-2 mm, usually longer than wide, often flaring distally, rims irregular, with 1-2 mm hairs;
awns 40-90 mm, clearly twice-geniculate, terminal segment straight;
anthers 3 and 3.5-5 mm in chasmogamous florets, 1-3 and shorter than 0.7 mm in cleistogamous florets.
subequal, 10-22 mm long, 1.8-2.3 mm wide, narrowly lanceolate, glabrous, 3-5-veined;
florets 6-13 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide, terete, widest just below the crown;
calluses 2-4.5 mm, sharp, strigose;
lemmas often purple, finely rugose-papillose, particularly near the crown, constricted below the crown, midveins pilose proximally, glabrous between the veins at maturity;
crowns 0.4-1.6 mm, usually wider than long, sides usually flaring somewhat distally, rims with hairs to 0.5 mm;
awns 50-120 mm, clearly twice-geniculate, terminal segment straight;
anthers 3-3.5 mm, penicillate.
about 4 mm.
3-5 mm.
panicles 5-55 cm, open;
branches 3-7 cm, ascending or spreading, angled, scabrous, glabrous or hairy, with 1-4 spikelets;
pedicels 4-9 mm.
panicles 5-40 cm, exserted, erect to nodding;
branches 2.5-8.5 cm, with 2-5 spikelets;
pedicels 1-8 mm, angled, scabrous, pubescent.
= 28.
= 28.
Nassella leucotricha
Nassella neesiana
The range of Nassella leucotricha extends from the southern United States, where it was once one of the dominant species, into northern Mexico. It is now established in Australia (Jacobs et al. 1995). In North America, N. leucotricha grows mostly in open grasslands, but it is also found in woodlands. It provides good spring forage and increases in abundance with moderate grazing, primarily because of its cleistogenes. It resembles N. manicata, but has longer florets and less strongly developed crowns.
The sharp callus easily sticks to skin and clothing, and can cause wounds, especially in the mouths of grazing animals. The wounds often retain the fruit, which may require surgical removal for proper healing.
Individual plants produce both chasmogamous and cleistogamous florets in their terminal panicles, with the terminal florets usually being cleistogamous. The proportion of cleistogamous florets is influenced by soil moisture, a higher proportion being produced if the soil moisture content is low (Brown 1952). Spikelets of the axillary panicles usually mature before those of the terminal panicles (Dyksterhuis 1949).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Nassella neesiana is native to South America, growing from Ecuador to Argentina, primarily in steppe habitats. It was found on ballast dumps in Mobile, Alabama but has not persisted in the Flora region. It has become established in Australia, where it is considered a noxious weed.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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