About Sporobolus wrightii Scribn.
Sporobolus wrightii Scribn. is a perennial bunchgrass with thick stems that can grow up to 2.5 metres tall. Its leaves measure 20 to 70 centimetres in length. The species produces a lance-shaped panicle that can reach up to 60 centimetres long, holding purplish or greenish spikelets. This grass grows in plains, desert grassland, shrubsteppe, and desert shrubland habitats. It can also occur in desert wetland types including desert marshes, seasonal lakes, and floodplains. In these wetland habitats, it is an important species for preventing erosion and slowing runoff by trapping sediments. It can range from common to prominent or dominant in its communities, and dominates some grasslands within its native range alongside other common grasses. Much of this type of grassland has been reduced to a small fraction of its original pristine range due to factors such as overgrazing and water channelization. Sporobolus wrightii provides good forage for livestock, producing large amounts of green matter. It is an important species for grazers on grasslands in parts of Arizona, and is also valuable for wildlife.
