Taxon: Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) A. Gray

Summary

Genus:

Sporobolus

Family:

Poaceae (alt. Gramineae)

Subfamily:

Chloridoideae

Tribe:

Zoysieae

Subtribe:

Sporobolinae

Nomen number:

35355

Place of publication:

Manual 576. 1848

Verified:

02/04/2004 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

102 (98 active, 89 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Basionym
Agrostis cryptandra Torr.

Autonym(s)
Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) A. Gray var. cryptandrus

Homotypic Synonym(s)
Vilfa cryptandra (Torr.) Trin.
Vilfa cryptandra (Torr.) Trin. var. cryptandra

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Sporobolus subinclusus Phil.

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)

Links

Spikelets and/or florets – Seed ID Workshop image, from Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio State University

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Beetle, A. A. 1977. Noteworthy grasses from Mexico V. Phytologia 37:398.
Correa, M. N. 1969-. Flora patagonica.
Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 40-41.
Englert, J. M. et al. 1999-. USDA-NRCS Improved conservation plant materials released by NRCS and cooperators
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
Gould, F. W. 1975. The grasses of Texas
Hitchcock, A. S. 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States, ed. 2.
Holm, L. et al. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds
Magee, D. W. & H. E. Ahles. 1999. Flora of the Northeast. A manual of the vascular flora of New England and adjacent New York.
Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
Ott, J. E. et al. 2011. 15. Vegetation dynamics at a Mojave desert restoration site, 1992-2007. Nat. Resources Environm. Issues 16(Art. 15):1-15.
Peterson, P. M. et al. 2001. Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae): II. Subfamily Chloridoideae. Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 41:205.
Peterson, P. M. et al. 2004. Sporobolus (Poaceae: Chloridoideae: Cynodonteae: Zoysieae: Sporobolinae) from northeastern México. Sida 21(3):570-572.
Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
Shreve, F. & I. L. Wiggins. 1964. Vegetation and flora of the Sonoran desert.
Skvortsov, A. K., ed. 2006. Flora of the Lower Volga region 1:158.
Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 1994. Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en la República Argentina. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 47
1961. Webster's third new international dictionary.

Common names

Language	Name	note	seq	Citation
English	prairie grass		1	1961. Webster's third new international dictionary.
English	sand dropseed		1	Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
English (Canada)	sand dropseed	Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada official name	2	Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 40-41.
French	sporobole à fleurs cacnées		2	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
French (Canada)	sporobole à fleurs cachées	Agriculture & Agroalimentaire Canada nom officiel	2	Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 40-41.

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Ontario		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Québec	s.w.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Illinois		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Iowa		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Kansas		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Minnesota		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Missouri		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Nebraska		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	North Dakota		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Oklahoma		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	South Dakota		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Wisconsin		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Connecticut	s.w.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Indiana		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Maine	s.w.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Massachusetts	e.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Michigan		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New Hampshire	s.e.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New York	e. & n.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Ohio		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Pennsylvania	e.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Vermont	s.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Baja
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Baja California Sur
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Chihuahua
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Coahuila de Zaragoza
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Nuevo León
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sonora		Shreve, F. & I. L. Wiggins. 1964. Vegetation and flora of the Sonoran desert.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Tamaulipas
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Colorado		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Idaho		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Montana		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Oregon		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Washington		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Wyoming		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	New Mexico		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	Texas		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Alabama	e.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Arkansas		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Kentucky	w.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Louisiana		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Mississippi		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	South Carolina	e.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Tennessee		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	Arizona		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	California		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	Nevada		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	Utah		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	Alberta	s.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	British Columbia	s.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	Manitoba		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	Saskatchewan		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina			Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 1994. Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en la República Argentina. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 47
2	Cultivated	Northern America		United States			Ott, J. E. et al. 2011. 15. Vegetation dynamics at a Mojave desert restoration site, 1992-2007. Nat. Resources Environm. Issues 16(Art. 15):1-15.
3	Adventive	Europe	Eastern Europe	Russian Federation	Volgogradskaja oblast'		Skvortsov, A. K., ed. 2006. Flora of the Lower Volga region 1:158.

Native
Northern America

EASTERN CANADA: Canada [Québec (s.w.), Ontario]
WESTERN CANADA: Canada [Saskatchewan, Alberta (s.), Manitoba, British Columbia (s.)]
NORTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Connecticut (s.w.), Indiana, Maine (s.w.), Massachusetts (e.), Michigan, New Hampshire (s.e.), New York (e. & n.), Ohio, Pennsylvania (e.), Vermont (s.)]
NORTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin]
NORTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming]
SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Alabama (e.), Arkansas, Kentucky (w.), Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina (e.), Tennessee]
SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [New Mexico, Texas]
SOUTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah]
NORTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Baja, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Nuevo León, Sonora, Tamaulipas]

Southern America

SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina

Cultivated
Northern America

REGION: United States

Adventive
Europe

EASTERN EUROPE: Russian Federation [Volgogradskaja oblast']

Reference(s)

FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Ott, J. E. et al. 2011. 15. Vegetation dynamics at a Mojave desert restoration site, 1992-2007. Nat. Resources Environm. Issues 16(Art. 15):1-15.
Shreve, F. & I. L. Wiggins. 1964. Vegetation and flora of the Sonoran desert.
Skvortsov, A. K., ed. 2006. Flora of the Lower Volga region 1:158.
Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 1994. Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en la República Argentina. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 47

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Animal food	forage	mainly when young	Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
Environmental	erosion control		Englert, J. M. et al. 1999-. USDA-NRCS Improved conservation plant materials released by NRCS and cooperators
Environmental	revegetator		Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
Environmental	wildlife habitat		Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	Holm, L. et al. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=35355. Accessed 12 May 2026.