stinkgrass

Stinkgrass – Eragrostis cilianensis

Eragrostis cilianensis (All.) Vign. ex Janchen

Poaceae (Grass family)

MI Status

Non-native

Life cycle

Erect to spreading summer annual.

Leaves

Leaves are usually hairless and up to 6 inches long with a tuft of long, soft hair at
the collar region. Tiny, warty glands on the leaf margins and sheath release an unpleasant odor.

Ligule

Hairy.

Stems

Erect to spreading, up to 2-foot-tall, slender stems are branched at the base. Stems have a ring of tiny glands just below the nodes, which release an unpleasant odor.

Flowers and fruit

The seedhead is a dense to open, tan, gray-green to purple, pyramid-shaped panicle. Flattened and oblong, spikelets contain up to 40 reddish orange to brown, egg-shaped seeds.

Reproduction

Seeds.

Stinkgrass plant
Stinkgrass plant
New stinkgrass seedhead
New stinkgrass seedhead
New stinkgrass spikelet
New stinkgrass spikelet
Stinkgrass ligule
Stinkgrass ligule

Accessibility Questions:

For questions about accessibility and/or if you need additional accommodations for a specific document, please send an email to ANR Communications & Marketing at anrcommunications@anr.msu.edu.