Sporobolus heterolepis

Sporobolus heterolepis occurs in eastern and central North America, in southern Canada from Quebec to Manitoba and southeastern Saskatchewan, south, in the United States to southwestern North Carolina, northern Georgia, Arkansas, Oklahoma and northeastern New Mexico. There are more than 500 occurrences, rangewide, including on various National Parks, National Forests, State Parks and Natural Areas in the United States. It is most common in the Midwestern United States, and Manitoba in Canada. It is rare in the southeastern and northeastern United States and eastern Canada. It is a prairie species. especially of the Northern Great Plains, in the east and southeast it is sometimes found on serpentine, limestone, or other unusual rocky substrates. It is threatened by succession, and to a lesser extent by land-use conversion, habitat fragmentation, and forest management practices.

Sporobolus heterolepis occurs in eastern and central North America, in southern Canada from Quebec to Manitoba and southeastern Saskatchewan, south, in the United States to southwestern North Carolina, northern Georgia, Arkansas, Oklahoma and northeastern New Mexico. Range extent was estimated to be 3.5 million square kilometers, using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1992 and 2023 (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2003, GBIF 2023, Great Plains Flora Association 1986, iNaturalist 2023, NatureServe 2023, SEINet 2023, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2023).

Sporobolus heterolepis is most common in the Midwestern United States, and Manitoba in Canada. It is rare in the southeastern and northeastern United States and eastern Canada. By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1992 and 2023, it is estimated that there are more than 500 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, NatureServe 2023, SEINet 2023).

Sporobolus heterolepis is threatened by succession, and to a lesser extent by land-use conversion, habitat fragmentation, and forest management practices (Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project 2002). In Michigan, this species may be threatened by alterations to hydrology and woody encroachment due to lack of fire (Higman and Penskar 1999). In Ohio, and elsewhere in the Midwest and Great Plains, it is threatened by conversion of prairies to agriculture, or exotic grass dominated pasture (McCance and Burns 1984). It is also somewhat sensitive to grazers.