Prairie Dropseed

Sporobolus heterolepis

no photo — written note
photo: Wikimedia Commons
Plants

A fine fountain-shaped clump whose seeds smell faintly of coriander.

Field facts
HabitatDry prairie remnants, gravel hill prairie
RangeNorthwestern Indiana, scattered elsewhere
When to lookFlowers August to September
StatusUncommon; remnant indicator (Indiana DNR / IUCN Red List)
Look-alikesLittle Bluestem, Junegrass

Field note: Smell the seed heads in late summer for a distinct buttered-coriander scent.

Lesson
Watching responsibly

Its presence marks never-ploughed ground; keep off entirely.

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