Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze   Poaceae (Grass Family)   South America   St. Augustine Grass

                                     September Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Creeping stoloniferous perennial with short flowering culms, compressed, branched, with flowering stems 1-3 dm. tall; blades 5-15 cm. long, 4-10 mm. wide, obtuse; spikelets in 1's or 2's, 4-5 mm. long, embedded in one side of an enlarged and flattened corky rachis tardily disarticulating toward the tip at maturity; first glume small, 2d glume and sterile lemma subequal, the latter with a palea or a staminate fl.; fertile lemma chartaceous.

Habitat:  Escape in low waste places from cult. in lawns, as at Santa Barbara.  July-Sept.

Name:  Greek, stenos, narrow, and taphros, trench, because of the cavities in the rachis.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 1002).  Latin, secundatus, to adapt, to make prosperous. (Jaeger 234).  The species name is possibly due to the adaptability of the plant. (my comment).

General:  Occasional in the study area, there is a large stand in the fresh water area of Northstar beach and another under the willows on the marsh side of Back Bay Dr., just before it terminates into Eastbluff Dr.  Photographed at Northstar Beach.  (my comments).      At maturity the rachis near the tip breaks apart, the spikelets remaining attached to the joints.  (Robbins et al. 112).     Three species of warm regions.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 1002).       Seven species of tropical areas worldwide.  (Hickman, Ed. 1298).

Text Ref:  Hickman, Ed. 1298; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 1002; Roberts 48.

Photo Ref:  Sept 1 83 # 3; Feb-Mar 86 # 6.

Identity: by R. De Ruff.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 57.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 5/3/03.

                                          February Photo