Bearded Sprangletop (Leptochloa Fusca)

Poaceae (Grass family) 

Group: Monocot (Grass)

Aggressive erect, spreading, branching, and tufted annual native grass associated with cultivated fields, wet disturbed areas or soils, wetlands, pastures, and non-crop areas. Bearded sprangletop is a weed in rice in fields in south Florida.

Seedling leaf blades are rough on both sides, rolled, with a membranous ligule. Leaf sheath is rough.

Leaves of mature plants are long, narrow, widest in the middle, and slightly hairy. Leaves are rough on both sides, tightly rolled when dry. Ligule is membranous and jagged with age.

Stems are stiffly erect, spreading and branching, up to 3 feet tall

Flower or seed head is an open panicle, 3 to 10 inches long with 6 to 36 stiff erect branches. Spikelets have 6 to 12 florets. Seed is a grain

Roots are shallow and fibrous.

Propagation is by seed.