Johnsongrass

Plant Profile
	Common Name: Johnsongrass Species Name: Sorghum halepense Plant Type: Grasses & Grass-like Family Name: Poaceae

Plant Profile

Common Name: Johnsongrass

Species Name: Sorghum halepense

Plant Type: Grasses & Grass-like

Family Name: Poaceae

Plant Facts
Origin	Introduced, Mediterranean region
Duration	Perennial
Season	Warm
Distribution in the U.S.	NE, KS, OK, TX, IA, MO, CO, NM
Distribution in Oklahoma	Throughout the state

ID Characteristics

Field Identification Characteristics
- Inflorescence: Panicle open (15-50 centimeters long), often purplish, branches whorled
- Spikelet: Florets 2; in pairs, sessile spikelet fertile (4-5.5 millimeters long); pedicellate spikelet staminate or neuter (5-7 millimeters long); lemmas of fertile spikelets thin and hylaline, first fertile, nerves 2; second sterile, nerves 3-7
- Awns: Fertile lemma awnless or awned (7-20 millimeters long), awn geniculate and twisted
- Glumes: Sessile spikelet glumes subequal (3.5-5.5 millimeters long), indurate, shiny, nerves obscure pedicellate spikelet glumes subequal (3.6-5.6 millimeters long) nerves 5-9
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
- Sheath: Shaggy, densely hairy with long hairs
- Leaf Blade Shape: Flat (7-20 centimeters long, 1-7 millimeters wide), densely hairy or velvety, midvein prominent
- Ligule: Membranous (less than 2 millimeters long), rounded
Floral Characteristics
- Inflorescence Type: Panicle
- Florets Per Spikelet: 2
- Glumes: Equal

Habitat/Ecology
Soil Type	Various, best growth in moist silty soil
Habitat	Widespread on disturbed sites, waste areas, cropland and rangeland in low condition
Successional Stage	Early, but invades all stages

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