Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Paspalum lentiferum
Bead grass
Taxonomy

Synonyms: Paspalum praecox var. curtisianum

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

  • Magnoliophyta

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA Plants;  ITIS;  The Plant List;  IPNI

Species Distribution
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More about map & occurrence records

County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNA;  USDA Plants;  BONAP;  BISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: Formerly State Endangered

Notes:According to Ebinger et al. 2010, "This species occurs in open, often disturbed habitats and is native to the southeastern coastal plain of the United States (Allen and Hall 2003). Disjunct and probably adventive in southern Illinois, this taxon was reported for Pulaski County by Mohlenbrock (2002a) [1961, Boyce]. According to Allen and Hall (2003) in the ‘‘Flora of North America’’, the correct name for this species is Paspalum praecox, and they list a disjunct specimen for southern Illinois. This species is now probably extirpated from the state (Bowles et al. 1991)."

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Monocot, perennial

Roots: adventitious, fibrous

Shoots: alternate leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; entire leaf margin; Parallel leaf venation; awl-shaped leaf shape

Inflorescence: raceme, spike

Flowers: perfect; complete, regular; hypogynous ovary position

Fruit: grain

Physiology: autotrophic; C3 C02 fixation

Reproduction: sexual

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Roadside ditches; low, open flatwoods.

ILPIN Notes: Sheaths strongly keeled, pilose; large suborbicular spikelets. Disjunct population.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators:
  • Dispersal:
  • Mycorrhizae:
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value:

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State: 10
  • Chicago Area:

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