Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Poales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Paspalum urvillei
FAMILY
Poaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Learn more about Vasey Grass from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Paspalum urvillei
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Paspalum urvillei
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 25 (2003)
Paspalum urvillei
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 029-74-007:
Paspalum urvillei FAMILY Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)
Paspalum urvillei
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Paspalum urvillei
COMMON NAME:
Vasey Grass
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950 pnd_paur2_002_lvd
)
Glen Peterson gkp9305_purvillei01
August Spartanburg County SC
Inflorescence 7-20 ascending to arched-spreading racemes on a single axis, per Wildflowers of the Eastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1999).
)
Glen Peterson gkp9317_purvilleivsdilata
August Spartanburg County SC
Culms of P. urvillei (left) 1-2m tall, vs. P. dilatatum (right) 0.6-1.2m tall, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
Glen Peterson gkp9318_purvillei02
August Spartanburg County SC
Lowest sheaths often densely hairy and turning brown to purple later, per Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses (Miller & Miller, 2005).
)
Glen Peterson gkp9329_purvillei03
August Spartanburg County SC
Ligule a long membrane, 4-8mm, w long hair tufts behind, collar often dark, per Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses (Miller & Miller, 2005).
)
Glen Peterson gkp9338_pdilatatumvsurvel
August Spartanburg County SC
Ligules of P. dilatatum (on left) vs. P. urvillei (on right).
)
Glen Peterson gkp9381
August Spartanburg County SC
Spikelets 4-rowed, light-green often with dark flowering parts extending, per Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses (Miller & Miller, 2005).
)
Glen Peterson gkp9381_pdilatatumvsurvel
August Spartanburg County SC
P. dilatatum on the left, P. urvillei on the right.
)
JK Marlow jkm140822_856b
August Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
Leaf blades 3-15mm wide, pilose at base, per Manual of the Grasses of the United States (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950).
)
JK Marlow jkm140822_857
August Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
)
JK Marlow jkm081009_184b
October Dorchester County SC
McAlhany Nature Preserve
Spikelets 2-3mm with conspicuous silky hairs, a rare occurrence in Paspalum, per Wildflowers of the Eastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1999).
)
JK Marlow jkm081009_186
October Dorchester County SC
McAlhany Nature Preserve
)
JK Marlow s051029_f
October Oconee County SC
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Paspalum urvillei
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Paspalum urvillei
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Paspalum urvillei
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 25
Paspalum urvillei
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 029-74-007:
Paspalum urvillei
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)
Paspalum urvillei
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Paspalum urvillei
1034
Grass, Sedge, or Rush
Perennial
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, and other disturbed areas, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: South America
Common (rare in Mountains)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Alabama Invasive Plant Council, 2012
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2006
- SC Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2014
- US Forest Service Southern Research Station
LEAVES:
Simple
Mostly basal & low alternate, 2-ranked
RHIZOMES? STOLONS?
Cespitose [growing in dense tufts, clumping], with short stout rhizomes
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer/Fall
Inflorescence a panicle of 17-25 ascending racemose branches
FRUIT:
Spring/Summer/Fall
Grain brownish
Grain
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses (Miller & Miller, 2005) p240
- Manual of the Grasses of the United States (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950) p615
- Wildflowers of the Eastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1999) p142
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