Leersia lenticularis Michx.

Catchfly Cutgrass; Oatmeal Grass

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Catchfly Cutgrass is a native perennial herbaceous species in the Grass family (Poaceae). It is found primarily in the southern two-thirds of Alabama. Catchfly Cutgrass occurs along rivers, in swamp forests, along sloughs, and around ponds and lakes. It is a perennial with short, scaly rhizomes. Culms (stems) are 2-3 feet in height, erect, and usually unbranched. The culms are round in cross-section and hollow. The culms are pubescent on the nodes and glabrous on the internodes. Leaves are alternate, light green in color, linear in outline, with scabrous margins. The upper leaf surface is glabrous or scabrous, the lower surface is pubescent or glabrous. Leaf sheaths are glabrous or scabrous. Flowers are produced in terminal panicles. The branches of the panicle are naked on the lower third and have 4-14 spikelets at their ends. The spikelets are arranged on one side of the branch. Spikelets are suborbicular in outline with cilia on the keels of the lemmas and pubescent on the margins and body. The seed is a grain. The seed of Catchfly Cutgrass are eaten by various species of song birds and water fowl. Catchfly Cutgrass foliage is a food plant for the caterpillars of the Least Skipper (Ancyloxypha numitor). As the common name suggest, Catchfly Cutgrass leaf margins are easily capable of slicing human flesh. The plants also tend to cling to clothing or skin. Walking through a stand of this species, especially when sweating, is an unpleasant experience.--A. Diamond

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Native OBL (NWPL)

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