Southwestern Cupgrass

Southwestern Cupgrass, Southwest Cupgrass, Taper-tip Cupgrass

Eriochloa acuminata (J. Presl.) Kunth

Poaceae (Grass Family)

▲ ▼ mature plants

▲ flowering stem with panicle inflorescence

▲ ▼ close ups of inflorescence (above) and seed (below)

Southwestern Cupgrass:

Warm-season annual grass that grows 1-3 feet tall, with bright green leaves covered with fine, soft hairs
Inflorescence is a compressed panicle, with light green spikelets and seeds on tiny cup-like structures
Individual flowers do not have tiny awns as the similar species, Prairie Cupgrass does; prairie cupgrass also has few to no hairs on leaves
Found in southeast Missouri and in other southern and western states, particularly in reduced-tillage row crops
Similar Woolly Cupgrass has narrower leaves and more hairs in inflorescence