Sporobolus indicus

Easily distinguished by its long narrow spike-like inflorescence which is nearly always infected with ergot, making is black and smutty.

Germination is reported to improve with either cold/moist or cold/dry stratification (Steffen 1997).

The following information is for the genus Sporobolus: Animals that eat its seeds: Wild turkey, Lark bunting, Junco, Brewer sparrow, Field sparrow, Savannah sparrow, Tree sparrow, Wite-crowned sparrow. Animals that eat the plants: Bison, White-tailed deer (Martin et al. 1951). Cattle seldom eat smutgrass, especially after the flower stalks are formed.

One of ten species of Sporobolus found along the gulf coast of Louisiana and Texas. The common name "smut-grass" comes from the tendency for the inflorescence of this species to be infected with ergot. When an infected inflorescence is brushed, a black smudge is left on clothes. The genus name, Sporobolus, is from the Greek words "spora," or seed and "ballein," to throw, referring to the free seeds. It is found in moist loam soils, in low prairie, old fields, roadsides, disturbed areas throughout Louisiana, and east and southeast Texas. It is widely distributed in the warmer parts of the world, and it is thought to be native to Asia. In America it occurs north to Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.

Roadsides, fields, waste places, mud, moist loam, low prairies, swales.