| Author | (Elliott) Elliott ex Bentham | |
| Distribution | Two specimens are known: New Hanover County in 1964 by G. Sawyer, Jr, et al.; and Dare County, Roanoke Island in 1950 by P. Schallert.
Native of the Old World tropics; in N.A. scattered from NC to southern FL and eastern TX. | |
| Abundance | Very rare; likely extirpated. | |
| Habitat | No habitat given. | |
| Phenology | Flowering and fruiting September(?) or October-November. | |
| Identification | Sweet Tanglehead grows 2-4 (or more) feet tall. The inflorescence is composed of several short, slender branches that arise from leaflike sheaths. In their sheaths the plants vaguely resemble bluestems (Andropogon), but lack the dense whitish hairs among the spikelets. Instead, Sweet Tanglehead has dark brown spikelets with very long, essentially twisted awns. | |
| Taxonomic Comments | | |
| Other Common Name(s) | | |
| State Rank | SE? | |
| Global Rank | G4? | |
| State Status | | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | | |
| USACE-emp | | |
