Eragrostis curvula (Schrad.) Nees

by Bea Cooley, Native Plant Class, 2003
Common names: Weeping lovegrass
Family: Poaceae
Synonymy:
Etymology: Greek: eros = love, agrostis = a kind of grass. (3)

Identification (1-5)
Growth form: Perennial bunchgrass 6-15 dm tall, depending on abundance of water; basal region purplish
Roots: Fibrous
Stem: Usually erect, sheaths ridged like the keel of a boat, hairs at axils of main branches
Leaves: 6-10 dm long, rolled in and tapering to fine hair-like brownish threads, light green; ligules a dense row of white hairs
Inflorescence/flowers: Seed heads are 2-3 dm long, drooping on flexible branches, with up to about 12 florets per spikelet, lead-colored
Fruit: Seeds number about 1.5 million per pound
Similar species: Eragrostis lehmanniana differs in being less tall, having fairly stiff leaves and somewhat more dense seed heads, not on gracefully weeping stems.

Ecology
Life history: Green in spring, blooms in summer, hardy to –10o F, but may become short-lived if routinely exposed to low temperatures
Native/introduced: Introduced from South Africa
Photosynthetic pathway: C4 (warm season) (4)
Distribution: Abundant where precipitation averages about 17 inches/year; apparently does not grow well if precipitation falls below 10 inches/year.(1) Found over almost the entire US, including Hawaii, except for the northern plains states and far northeast.

Uses
A forage grass that is palatable in spring and preferred over many native grasses. In summer, when it is actively flowering and other forage is available, it is grazed much less. Important for revegetation /soil reclamation.

References
1. Ruyle, George B. and Deborah J. Young, Eds. Arizona Range Grasses, 2003, Cooperative Extension, The University of Arizona, Tucson, p. 70-71.

2. Hitchcock, A.S. Manual of the Grasses of the United States, 1971,Vol.1, 2nd edition, Dover Publications, Inc. New York, p. 168.

3. Cronquist, Arthur, Holmgren, Arthur H., Holmgren Noel H., Reveal, James L and Holmgren Patricia K., 1977. Intermountain Flora, Vascular Plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A., Volume 6, Columbia University Press, New York, p. 396.

4. USDA, NRCS. 2002. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

5. Hickman, James C., Ed. The Jepsen Manual: Higher Plants of California. 1993. University of California Press, Berkeley, p 1258.