Scleropogon

Distinguished from similar grasses by its colony-forming habit, sharp tufted leaves with firm awns, and disjunct New World distribution. Sexual dimorphism in inflorescences separates male and female plants where dioecy is expressed. Similar to Buchloe dactyloides (buffalograss) in growth form, dimorphism, and chamaechory (seed dispersal by rolling), but distinguished by geographic range and specific leaf morphology.

Perennial mat-forming (colony-forming) grass with sharp, tufted leaves and firm awns.

Arid and semi-arid regions; specific substrate preferences not documented in available sources.

Disjunct distribution: North America from southwestern United States to central Mexico, and South America in Chile and Argentina.

Perennial. Colony-forming growth habit suggests vegetative propagation contributes to persistence.

Exhibits chamaechory (rolling dispersal of seeds). Forms colonies through vegetative growth.

Contributes to ground cover in arid grassland ecosystems; serves as food plant for grasshoppers in western North America.

Used as common name reference for grasshopper food plant surveys in Wyoming and western states. No documented economic or cultural uses identified.

• Buchloe dactyloidesShares mat-forming habit, colony growth form, sexual dimorphism, multiple sexual morphs, chamaechory, and aridland distribution; distinguished by different geographic range and leaf morphology

Scleropogon is also the name of a genus of robber flies (Asilidae), an unrelated animal genus. The grass genus Scleropogon (Poaceae) is entirely distinct and should not be confused with the dipteran genus.

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Grasshopper Collections and Survey
• Scleropogon (Gramineae), a monotypic genus with disjunct distribution
• Taxonomy and Floral Biology of Scleropogon (Eragrostideae: Gramineae)