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Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK |
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Oklahoma Alfalfa |
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Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK |
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Oklahoma Alfalfa |
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Sprangletops |
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| COMMON NAME: | Sprangletops |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME: | Leptochloa spp. (see below) |
| TYPE: | Annual Warm-season Weedy Grass |
| DESCRIPTION | |
| Germination: | September to October. |
| Reproduction: | By seeds in July to September. |
| Stem: | Upright to spreading, up to 3 feet tall. |
| Leaves: | Leaves of bearded scabrous with blade rolling when dry. Leave blades of red with no hair, sheath pubescent, often red. |
| Flowers/ Inflorescence: |
Seed head of both have a large open panicle. Uppermost leaf of bearded is often longer than seed head. Spikelets of bearded have 5- to 12-flowers, compared to 2- to 4-flowers for red sprangletop. |
| Fruit: | Seed unit of both with lemma and palea attached. |
FOUND: |
Bearded and red sprangletops are the two major species in Oklahoma. Red sprangletop has a large reddish panicle, often as long as 18 inches. Both are competitive with spring planted alfalfa and will invade thinning older stands. |
CONTROL: |
Good selective control of both species is possible in alfalfa with POAST PLUS and SELECT, but plants must be treated when small seedling. |
| Bearded
Sprangletop Leptochloa fascicularis (Lam.) Gray |
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| In Alfalfa |  Plant |
 Leaf |
 Plant |
 Seed Head |
| Additional Bearded Sprangletop Images | ||||
| Red
Sprangletop Leptochloa filiformis (Lam.) Beauv. |
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| In Alfalfa |  Plant |
 Leaf |
 Plant |
 Seed Head |
| Additional Red Sprangletop Images | ||||
| Jim Stritzke Former Alfalfa Weed Control Specialist Department of Plant and Soil Sciences Oklahoma State University |
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