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Sporobolus heterolepis (A. Gray) A. Gray. Common name: Prairie Dropseed. Phenology: Aug-Sep. Habitat: Barrens, glades, and prairies over mafic, ultramafic, and calcareous rocks (olivine, serpentine, limestone). Distribution: The primary distribution of S. heterolepis is in the Plains, with outliers east to nw. GA (Jones & Coile 1988), c. TN (Estes & Beck 2005), w. NC, w. VA, se. PA, ne. United States, and adjacent Canada.

ID notes: The plant has an odor of movie theater buttered popcorn.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, F, FNA25, G, HC, Il, K4, Mi, Mo1, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S13, Tn, Va, W, Weakley & Peterson (1998). Basionym: Vilfa heterolepis A.Gray 1835

Links to other floras: = Sporobolus heterolepis - FNA25

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: UPL
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: UPL
  • Great Plains: UPL
  • Midwest: FACU
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU

Heliophily ⓘ: 9

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image of plant© Thomas Koffel, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Thomas Koffel source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Ryan Sorrells, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ryan Sorrells source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alex Graeff, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Alex Graeff source CC-BY-NC-ND, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman source CC-BY-SA | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman source CC-BY-SA | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman source CC-BY-SA | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Ryan Donnelly, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ryan Donnelly source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alex Graeff, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Alex Graeff source CC-BY-NC-ND, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alex Graeff, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Alex Graeff source CC-BY-NC-ND, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

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Height: 2-4 ft.

plant sale text: One of the most refined and elegant of the native grasses, Prairie Dropseed has large, delicate panicles, borne in great clouds above its foliage. Unlike most grasses, the flowers are scented, with a sweet fragrance that some say is similar to that of cilantro. Its foliage is also elegant in appearance, forming upright, arching hummocks up to 2 feet tall. Though easily grown, it takes several years for Prairie Dropseed to develop into a mature, showy clump. A number of Native American tribes used this as well as other grasses of the Sporobolus genus for food and medicine.

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native range: e. & central North America



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