text: [{"text_idx": "#000000", "text": "Plants not rhizomatous. Culms stout, 2-5 mm thick. Uppermost\nsheaths usually 2.6-6 mm wide. Panicles with 30-90 spikelets per\ncm2 when pressed. Fruits 1-1.8 mm."}, {"text_idx": "#000001", "text": "Sporobolus compositus var. compositus is the most widespread of\nthe three varieties, being found throughout most of the range shown for the\nspecies, but not in South Carolina or Florida."}, {"text_idx": "#000002", "text": "Similar species: Sporobolus neglectus and Sporobolus vaginiflorus are annuals that are easily distinguished by their inflated sheaths. The spikelets of Sporobolus cryptandrus are less than 3 mm long. Sporobolus clandestinus has opaque, minutely rough or hairy lemmas and 1.5 - 3.5 mm long caryopses, while Sporobolus heterolepis has open, fragrant inflorescences extending above the uppermost leaf sheaths."}, {"text_idx": "#000003", "text": "Flowering: late August to early October"}, {"text_idx": "#000004", "text": "Habitat and ecology: Introduced from the southern United States, this species is locally abundant on railroad right-of-ways and sandy disturbed ground. It is capable of forming nearly solid stands along roads and also grows in calcareous prairies."}, {"text_idx": "#000005", "text": "Occurence in the Chicago region: non-native"}, {"text_idx": "#000006", "text": "Etymology: Sporobolus comes from the Greek words sporos, meaning seed, and ballein, meaning \"to cast forth.\" Compositus means compound."}]