Culms 5-110 cm, prostrate (in small circular clumps) to erect. Blades
glabrous or scabrous, uppermost blades often exceeding the panicles. Panicles
(1.5)10-72 cm long, 4-22 cm wide, with 3-35 branches, usually partially enclosed
in the uppermost leaf sheaths; branches 3-12(22) cm, often spreading. Spikelets
5-12 mm. Lower glumes 2-3 mm, lanceolate, sometimes asymmetric; upper
glumes 2.5-5 mm, elliptic to ovate; lemmas lanceolate, smoky white
at maturity, often with a dark spot on the basal 1/2, apices acute, mucronate,
or awned, awns to 3.5 mm; anthers 1-3, 0.2-0.5 mm. Caryopses 0.8-2
mm.
Leptochloa fusca subsp. fascicularis extends from southern British
Columbia and Ontario to Argentina, although it has not yet been reported from
Georgia. Coastal populations from Massachusetts to Florida with long lemma awns
have been called L. fascicularis var. maritima (E.P. Bicknell)
Gleason. They do not merit taxonomic recognition because long awns and
salinity tolerance are common throughout the species.
Leptochloa fusca subsp. fascicularis differs from L.
viscida, which grows in the same region, in its longer panicles, frequently
unawned or mucronate lemmas, and whitish florets.
Annual or short-lived perennial tufted herb 5 cm - 1.8 m tall Leaves: with open, hairless or rough sheaths and membranous ligules that are 2 - 8 mm long, tapering to a slender tip and unevenly cut when mature. The blades are 3 - 50 cm long, 2 - 7 mm wide, tapering to a slender tip, flat, hairless or rough, with the uppermost leaves usually extending above the inflorescence. Inflorescence: terminal, branched (panicle), 10 cm - 0.7 m long, 4 - 22 cm wide, with the base often surrounded by the leaf sheaths. The three to 35 branches are each 3 - 22 cm long and usually spreading. Fruit: a caryopsis, 0.8 - 2 mm long, elliptic to egg-shaped or inversely egg-shaped. Culm: 5 cm - 1.1 m long, prostrate to erect, usually branched, with hollow internodes. Spikelets: 5 - 12 mm long, usually arranged in two rows on one side of the branch. Glumes: unequal, membranous, with a rough single vein. The lower glumes are 2 - 3 mm long, lance-shaped and occasionally asymmetric, while the upper glumes are 2.5 - 5 mm wide and elliptic to egg-shaped. Florets: six to twenty per spikelet, with one to three anthers 0.2 - 0.5 mm long. Lemma: grayish white and membranous with a dark spot in the lower half, 2 - 6 mm long, lance-shaped with a pointed to stiff-bristled (to 3.5 mm long) or short abrupt tip. Palea: silky-haired along the veins.
Similar species: No information at this time.
Flowering: mid July to late September
Habitat and ecology: Introduced from the western United States, this common species tolerates salty habitats and grows along toll roads and freeway ramps.
Occurence in the Chicago region: non-native
Etymology: Leptochloa comes from the Greek words leptos, meaning slender, and chloa, meaning grass. Fusca means brown or dusky. Fascicularis means clustered or bundled together.