Poaceae
Composite dropseed
Sporobolus compositus
- Family
- Poaceae
- Genus
- Sporobolus
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Common names
By language (1)
- English
- Composite dropseed, Tall dropseed
Synonyms
- Agrostis aspera Michx.
- Agrostis composita Poir.
- Agrostis involuta Muhl.
- Agrostis longifolia (Torr.) Torr. ex A.Gray
- Agrostis longifolia Torr.
- Agrostis polystachya Bosc ex Steud.
- Apera aspera P.Beauv.
- Glyceria stricta Buckley
- Muhlenbergia aspera (P.Beauv.) Trin.
- Muhlenbergia composita Trin. ex Steud.
- Sporobolus asper (P.Beauv.) Kunth
- Sporobolus asper var. asper
- Sporobolus asper var. drummondii (Trin.) Vasey
- Sporobolus asper var. hookeri (Trin.) Vasey
- Sporobolus asper var. pilosus (Vasey) Hitchc.
- Sporobolus attenuatus Nash
- Sporobolus compositus var. compositus
- Sporobolus compositus var. drummondii (Trin.) Kartesz & Gandhi
- Sporobolus drummondii (Trin.) Vasey
- Sporobolus longifolius (Torr. ex A.Gray) Alph.Wood
- Sporobolus pilosus Vasey
- Vilfa aspera P.Beauv.
- Vilfa composita (Poir.) P.Beauv.
- Vilfa drummondii Trin.
- Vilfa hookeri Trin.
- Vilfa longifolia Torr. ex Trin.
Flowers
- In flower
- September (from 7 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Graminoid
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- In the US and Canada
- Canada: native, Lower 48 states: native
Photos

FlowerPhoto: Linda Jo Conn, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
FlowerPhoto: Jo Roberts, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
FlowerPhoto: Jo Roberts, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
FruitPhoto: Chris Stahl, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Matt Berger, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Anders Hastings, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Wendy A, CC0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Nathan Aaron, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Jeff Hansen, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Owen McElroy, CC0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Sam Kieschnick, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Cleveland Powell, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
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Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.