Sphenopholis nitida

(Biehler) Scribn.
Common names: Shiny wedgegrass
Endemic
Synonyms: Trisetum pensylvanicum (Spreng.) Trin.
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 24. Treatment on page 621.

Culms 30-80 cm. Sheaths pubescent or the upper sheaths glabrous, sometimes scabridulous; ligules 1-2 mm; blades 2-15 cm long, (1) 2-5 (7) mm wide, flat to slightly involute, sometimes pubescent, flag leaf-blades scabridulous. Panicles 6-20 cm long, 1-5 cm wide, nodding to erect, spikelets loosely to densely arranged. Spikelets 2.5-5 mm. Lower glumes at least 1/3 as wide as the upper glumes; upper glumes 2-3.2 mm, obovate, rarely subcucullate, width/length ratio 0.22-0.38; lowest lemmas 2.1-3.8 mm, smooth on the basal 1/3-1/2, scabrous distally, unawned; distal lemmas scabrous on the sides, usually unawned, rarely awned, awns 0.1-1 mm; anthers (0.5) 1-2 mm. 2n = 14.

Distribution

Conn., N.J., N.Y., Del., D.C., W.Va., Fla., Mass., R.I., La., Tenn., N.C., S.C., Pa., Va., Ont., Ala., Ark., Vt., Ill., Ga., Ind., Md., Tex., Ohio, Mo., Mich., Miss., Ky.

Discussion

Sphenopholis nitida grows in moist to dry, deciduous and coniferous forests, on clay or silt banks and slopes, at 0-1200 m, in southern Ontario and the eastern United States. It can be confused with occasional forms of S. obtusata that have somewhat scabrous distal lemmas, but S. nitida has broader lower glumes.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"decumbent" is not a number.

... more about "Sphenopholis nitida"
membranous +  and scarious +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (?) +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
truncate +, rounded +, acute +  and acuminate +
Thomas F. Daniel +
(Biehler) Scribn. +
1 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
straight +
basal +  and terminal +
geniculate +
0.01 cm0.1 mm <br />1.0e-4 m <br /> (0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br />) +
keeled +  and rounded +
pseudopetiolate +  and branching +
intravaginal +, extravaginal +, branching +  and basal +
swelling +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br />) +
not evident +
flat +  and slightly involute +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
spikelike +
Shiny wedgegrass +
not branching +
ascending +  and erect +
30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br /> (80 cm800 mm <br />0.8 m <br />) +
not woody +
Conn. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, Del. +, D.C. +, W.Va. +, Fla. +, Mass. +, R.I. +, La. +, Tenn. +, N.C. +, S.C. +, Pa. +, Va. +, Ont. +, Ala. +, Ark. +, Vt. +, Ill. +, Ga. +, Ind. +, Md. +, Tex. +, Ohio +, Mo. +, Mich. +, Miss. +  and Ky. +
1/4 +  and 1/3 +
capillary +
pistillate +  and staminate +
sometimes longer +
2 +  and 3 +
sterile +  and bisexual +
compressed +
reduced +
shorter or longer +
subtending +
unequal +
membranous +  and subcoriaceous +
uncinate +
distributed +
keeled +  and rounded +
not indurate +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
membranous +
inconspicuous +
entire +  and toothed +
0.21 cm2.1 mm <br />0.0021 m <br /> (0.38 cm3.8 mm <br />0.0038 m <br />) +
concealed +  and prominent +
2 +  and 1 +
well-developed +
2-keeled +
6cm +  and 20cm +
nodding +  and erect +
spikelike +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
dry +  and fleshy +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
1 +  and 60 +
compressed +
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
1 +  and 3 +
simple +  and compound +
2 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
Trisetum pensylvanicum +
Sphenopholis nitida +
Sphenopholis +
species +
membranous +
0.22 +  and 0.38 +
subcucullate +  and obovate +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.32 cm3.2 mm <br />0.0032 m <br />) +
parallel +  and converging +
stoloniferous +  and rhizomatous +
plant +  and cespitose +
aquatic +  and terrestrial +