Oplismenus setarius (Lam.) Roem. & Schult.

Woods Grass; Basket Grass

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Basket Grass is a native herbaceous perennial in the Grass family (Poaceae). It can be found in the southern half of Alabama. Basket Grass occurs in low woods, along forest edges, along trails, and in shady lawns. It is a decumbent perennial rooting at the nodes. The stems are wiry, and green in color. The nodes are pubescent and the internodes are usually pubescent along one side. The leaves are alternate, ovate to lanceolate in outline, glabrous or pubescent on both surfaces, and usually undulate. The sheathes and ligules are ciliate. Flowers are produced in upright, narrow panicles. The panicle has 2-10 short lateral branches. Each branch has 1-10 spikelets. The spikelets have long purplish awns. The fruit is an oblong to ellipsoid yellowish grain. Basket Grass can form a dense groundcover under trees in areas with low light. It can be used as a lawn grass substitute under trees in deep shade where typical sod grasses will not grow. It is sometimes available from native plant nurseries or can be grown from seed or divisions. It is a larval host plant for the Carolina Satyr Butterfly (Hermeuptychia sosbius). Basket Grass can be a nuisance as the awns on the fruit attach to socks and animal fur.—Alvin Diamond.

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Native

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