Grass Family (Poaceae). Cylinder jointtail grass is a native, warm season, rhizomatous perennial grass. The height is between 1 and 3 1/2 feet. The leaf blade is slender; pointed, 8 to 14 inches long, flat at first, then rolled inward at maturity. The basal blades are shorter than those higher on the stem. The leaf sheath is rounded, about as long as the internodes. The stem is erect with swollen, purplish node. The seedhead is a raceme, cylindric, slightly curved; seedhead 2 to 6 inches long. The spikelets are sessile, awnless, and in pairs at the nodes of a thickened rachis.

Distribution: For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

Manisuris campestris, Manisuris cylindrica, Carolina jointtail grass, Carolina jointtail

Coelorachis cylindrica (Michx.) Nash:
United States (North America)

Manisuris campestris (Nutt.) Hitchc.:
United States (North America)

Manisuris cylindrica (Michx.) Kuntze:
United States (North America)

Mnesithea cylindrica (Michx.) de Koning & Sosef:
United States (North America)

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Perennials, Terrestrial, not aquatic, Rhizomes present, Rhizome short and compact, stems close, Stems nodes swollen or brittle, Stems erect or ascending, Stems terete, round in cross section, or polygonal, Stem nodes bearded or hairy, Stem internodes solid or spongy, Stems with inflorescence less than 1 m tall, Stems with inflorescence 1-2 m tall, Stems with inflorescence 2-6 m tall, Stems, culms, or scapes exceeding basal leaves, Leaves mostly cauline, Leaves conspicuously 2-ranked, distichous, Leaves sheathing at base, Leaf sheath mostly open, or loose, Leaf sheath smooth, glabrous, Leaf sheath and blade differentiated, Leaf blades linear, Leaf blades 2-10 mm wide, Leaf blades mostly flat, Leaf blade margins folded, involute, or conduplicate, Leaf blades mostly glabrous, Ligule present, Ligule a fringed, ciliate, or lobed membrane, Ligule a fringe of hairs, Inflorescence terminal, Inflorescence a dense slender spike-like panicle or raceme, branches contracted, Inflorescence solitary, with 1 spike, fascicle, glomerule, head, or cluster per stem or culm, Inflorescence single raceme, fascicle or spike, Flowers bisexual, Flowers unisexual, Spikelets sessile or subsessile, Spikelets dorsally compressed or terete, Spikelet less than 3 mm wide, Spikelets with 2 florets, Spikelets paired at rachis nodes, Spikelets in paired units, 1 sessile, 1 pedicellate, Pedicellate spikelet rudimentary or absent, usually sterile, Spikelets bisexual, Spikelets disarticulating below the glumes, Spikelets closely appressed or embedded in concave portions of axis, Rachilla or pedicel glabrous, Glumes present, empty bracts, Glumes 2 clearly present, Glumes equal or subequal, Glumes equal to or longer than adjacent lemma, Glumes keeled or winged, Glume with circular pits, Glumes 1 nerved, Lemmas thin, chartaceous, hyaline, cartilaginous, or membranous, Lemma 5-7 nerved, Lemma glabrous, Lemma apex acute or acuminate, Lemma awnle ss, Lemma margins thin, lying flat, Lemma straight, Palea present, well developed, Palea membranous, hyaline, Palea longer than lemma, Palea 2 nerved or 2 keeled, Stamens 3, Styles 2-fid, deeply 2-branched, Stigmas 2, Fruit - caryopsis.

Cylinder jointtail grass growth starts in early spring. It produces seedheads in May and June and seeds disseminate in early summer. It becomes dormant in the fall. It reproduces from short, bulb shaped rhizomes. It does not grow in pure stands, but is scattered throughout a plant community and grows best on well drained soils.

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N4 - Apparently Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G4 - Apparently Secure

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status, such as, state noxious status and wetland indicator values.

Please contact your local NRCS Field Office.

This grass is never abundant enough to be a key management species. Proper use and management of associated grasses maintain it in the plant community.

Cylinder jointtail grass is grazed readily by all livestock.