Eragrotis spectabilis

Common Name: 
purple lovegrass
Scientific Name: 
Eragrotis spectabilis (Pursch) Steud.
Family Name: 
Poaceae (Graminae) - Grass Family
Identification Notes
Life Cycle
native perennial, reproducing by seeds and short, stout rhizomes
Culms
upright to arching and wide spreading, stiff, smooth, unbranched, form dense low-growing tufts
Culms of Purple Lovegrass
Culms of Purple Lovegrass
Culms of Purple Lovegrass
Leaves
blades flat and ascending, hairs above and below, long soft hairs at base on upper surface; rolled in bud; auricles absent; ligule membranous, short, ring of hairy beh ind; sheaths margins overlapping, long hairs on upper margins
Leaves of Purple Lovegrass
Seedheads
open stiff panicle appear purple in color, relatively large compared to foliage, panicle branches red-purple, spikelets purple, sometimes a tuft of hairs in panicle axils