Tripsacum lanceolatum

Tripsacum lanceolatum is a species of grass with the common name of Mexican gamagrass, though as with many common names it doesn't accurately describe it fully since it grows far outside Mexico as well. T. lanceolatum is a perennial bunchgrass as most species in its genus are, that grows in a Tropical Dry biome. Considered LC (least concern) by IUCN.^[1]

Tripsacum lanceolatum
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Poaceae
Subfamily:	Panicoideae
Genus:	Tripsacum
Species:	T. lanceolatum
Binomial name
Tripsacum lanceolatum E.Fourn.

Description

In photos its flower morphology is distinct from Tripsacum dactyloides whose stigma is a magenta color^[2] (though this can vary between plants and populations) compared to T. lanceolatum's stigmas which are far more yellow-green and muted. Though this is not the main descriptor of the plant it should be noted from photos comparing the two.^[3]

Cytology

It has a chromosome amount of 2n = 72, usually and is thought to be 'either an allopolyploid or a very old autopolyploid with chromosomal divergence which has led to essentially bivalent meiotic association'.^[4]

Distribution

The distribution of T. lanceolatum is widespread with a native distribution in New Mexico, Arizona, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras, and Mexico. There is also an introduced distribution in Southeast Brazil, and Jawa.^[5]