Southwestern Cupgrass, Southwest Cupgrass, Taper-tip Cupgrass   

Eriochloa acuminata (J. Presl.) Kunth

Poaceae (Grass Family)

▲ ▼ mature plants

▲  flowering stem with panicle inflorescence

▲ ▼ close ups of inflorescence (above) and seed (below)

Southwestern Cupgrass: 

·         Warm-season annual grass that grows 1-3 feet tall, with bright green  leaves covered with fine, soft hairs

·         Inflorescence is a compressed panicle, with light green spikelets and seeds on tiny  cup-like structures

·         Individual flowers do not have tiny awns as the similar species, Prairie Cupgrass does; prairie cupgrass also has few to no hairs on leaves

·         Found in southeast Missouri and in other southern and western states, particularly in reduced-tillage row crops

·         Similar Woolly  Cupgrass   has narrower leaves and more hairs in inflorescence