Melinis minutiflora P. Beauv.

Molasses Grass

Natural range: Africa

Habitat: Weedy

Florida status: Introduced weed

Recognition: Panicles rosy-reddish. Plants sprawling. Leaf sheaths pubescent, sticky, having a fragrant molasses aroma. Leaf blades with papilla-based hairs. Lower lemmas notched, often awned.

Melinis minutiflora differs from the similar and very abundant (invasive) Melinis repens by having sticky fragrant leaf sheaths, smaller spikelets (1.7-2.4 mm long vs. 2-5.7 mm), glabrous glumes, glabrous pedicels, and lower florets with no paleas.