Leersia oryzoides

Stoloniferous perennial, culms to 1 m high, plants often forming loose swards in or near water. Leaf-blades flat, to 45 cm long and 1.5 cm wide, prominently veined, glabrous or with sparse, scattered, coarse bristles, strongly scabrous; ligules firm, c. 1 mm long. Inflorescence to 20 cm long, usually enclosed at base by upper leaf-sheath, branchlets strongly flexuose. Spikelets 5–7.5 mm long, shortly pedicellate; lemma 5-nerved, hispid along keel and lateral nerves, smooth or scabrous elsewhere; palea 3-nerved, keeled, firmly held along the lateral nerves by narrowly incurved lemma margin, hispid along keel; anthers usually 3, c. 0.5 mm (cleistogamous florets) or c. 1.5 mm long (chasmogamouse florets) long. Flowers Feb.–Apr.