Fig. 183.—Sporobolus commutatus.
Sporobolus commutatus, Kunth.
This is an annual and usually grows in loose tufts. Stems are slender, always erect or ascending, leafy and branching, 2 to 15 inches long.
The leaf-sheath is shorter than the internode, slightly compressed, finely striate, glabrous and occasionally with a few scattered tubercle-based hairs, margin ciliate; the uppermost sheath is cylindric somewhat long and embraces the greater portion of the peduncle and has a bunch of short hairs at the top.
The leaf-blade is narrow linear-lanceolate, acuminate scaberulous throughout, with long tubercle-based hairs scattered all over, but more of them near the base; margins spinulosely distantly serrulate or scabrid, base rounded or subcordate, 1/2 to 4-1/2 inches long and 1/16 to 3/16 inch wide.