longflowered veldtgrass
(Ehrharta longiflora)
This species is Introduced in the United States
ORIGIN: southern Africa
GROWTH TRAITS: Annual growing upright to somewhat sprawling and typically 8-31” tall (20-80 cm) from a fibrous root system. Leaves are flat, up to 8” long (20 cm), 0.4” wide (1 cm), wrinkled partway along the margin, and often tinged with purple. The ligule is membranous and toothed. Flowering occurs in spring. Inflorescences are 4-8” long (10–20 cm), often spreading, and consist of numerous drooping clusters of 3 green florets subtended by 2 purplish bracts. The lower 2 florets are sterile with long awns 0.08-0.8” long (2-20 mm). The upper floret is fertile.
REPRODUCTION: By seed only.
HABITAT: Capitalize on disturbance and are most frequently found in sandy soil.
LOOK-ALIKES: Grasses can be very difficult to differentiate, and several native and exotic grass species resemble veldtgrasses by sharing numerous features. Bromes (Bromus spp.) are quite similar with their stiff and often drooping inflorescences and their leafy bases. Many brome species have ligules similar to veldtgrasses as well as flat leaf blades of the same size and shape as those of veltgrasses. Bromes can be differentiated by having leaf sheaths that are closed for most of their length, awns that are typically inserted just beneath bract tips, usually more than 3 florets (3-30), and having hair on the female part (ovary) of a floret.
CITATIONS:
Winston, R.L., Andreas, J.E., Milan, J., DesCamp, W., Randell, C.B., and M. Schwarzlander. 2014. New Invaders of the Southwest. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team. FHTET-2014-12. Retrieved from https://bugwoodcloud.org/resource/files/14767.pdf
GROWTH TRAITS: Annual growing upright to somewhat sprawling and typically 8-31” tall (20-80 cm) from a fibrous root system. Leaves are flat, up to 8” long (20 cm), 0.4” wide (1 cm), wrinkled partway along the margin, and often tinged with purple. The ligule is membranous and toothed. Flowering occurs in spring. Inflorescences are 4-8” long (10–20 cm), often spreading, and consist of numerous drooping clusters of 3 green florets subtended by 2 purplish bracts. The lower 2 florets are sterile with long awns 0.08-0.8” long (2-20 mm). The upper floret is fertile.
REPRODUCTION: By seed only.
HABITAT: Capitalize on disturbance and are most frequently found in sandy soil.
LOOK-ALIKES: Grasses can be very difficult to differentiate, and several native and exotic grass species resemble veldtgrasses by sharing numerous features. Bromes (Bromus spp.) are quite similar with their stiff and often drooping inflorescences and their leafy bases. Many brome species have ligules similar to veldtgrasses as well as flat leaf blades of the same size and shape as those of veltgrasses. Bromes can be differentiated by having leaf sheaths that are closed for most of their length, awns that are typically inserted just beneath bract tips, usually more than 3 florets (3-30), and having hair on the female part (ovary) of a floret.
CITATIONS:
Winston, R.L., Andreas, J.E., Milan, J., DesCamp, W., Randell, C.B., and M. Schwarzlander. 2014. New Invaders of the Southwest. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team. FHTET-2014-12. Retrieved from https://bugwoodcloud.org/resource/files/14767.pdf
Selected Images
Maps
EDDMapS Distribution - This map is incomplete and is based only on current site and county level reports made by experts, herbaria, and literature. For more information, visit www.eddmaps.org
State Lists - This map identifies those states that have this species on their invasive species list or law.
Taxonomic Rank
| Domain: Eukarya |
| Kingdom: Plantae |
| Phylum: Magnoliophyta |
| Class: Magnoliopsida |
| Superorder: Lilianae |
| Order: Poales |
| Family: Poaceae |
| Genus: Ehrharta |
| Ehrharta longiflora |
References
Common Name Reference: USDA, NRCS. 2010. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
Scientific Name Reference: USDA, NRCS. 2010. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.